Since We Are Surrounded

Runner after exhausted runner came around the bend under the railroad bridge and pushed up the hill.

Ears stung in the frigid wind, while sweat felt more like ice water splashed on chapped faces.

Yet they forced feet forward, one at a time, hoping the top of the hill would meet them soon.

I watched.

I listened.

And I took notes.

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I’ve had the privilege to join a friend on a couple of road races recently. To be clear, what I mean by join is park the car, carry the stuff, and try to get a picture or two along the way while not getting to the finish line so late that she has to track me down in her own exhausted state.

I’m the one off to side, camera in one hand, device in the other, trying to document the event. Much more an awkward bystander who doesn’t know how to behave at these things than a runner, runner wannabe or even enthusiastic supporter.

Those enthusiastic supporters though. Let me tell you something. I had no idea runners had such things. People, postioned all along the race route, whose sole purpose is cheer the runners on. At some locations they give some direction. 10k to the right, 5k to the left. But mostly, they are there to spur the runner’s endurance.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

The witnesses positioned along the way — most perfectly illustrated by the young woman perched atop the sign in the picture above –  became nothing less than a great cloud of witnesses who pushed the runners along.

Doing great, doing great!

It’s not a big hill, just a little bump. It’ll level off soon.

Here they come!

Woo hoo!

Good job, Dave! Great race!

Way to get up that hill!

You’re almost there!

Havin’ fun now, aren’t we?

You got it, you got it!

You’re going the right direction.

Keep going!

Come on up!

Push up, guys! Push up!

Way to take this hill!

This great cloud of witnesses. They stand perched on the roadside all day long. They see us bearing down as we come around the bend. They see us veering to the right when we should be going to the left. They see us pushing, striving, reaching for the top of the hill.

Can you hear them?

They know this race. They’ve run it. They know the hills, the puddles, the curves, the cracks, the fallen trees.

They’ve run, and they’ve finished.

Can you hear them?

They call out to us, sometimes by name. And they remind us. Just a little further! Great race! Push up!

These who have gone before us, they surround us.

Can you hear them?

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As I waited for my friend, running the 10k, to round the bend, I watched a woman labor up the hill, one of if not the last of the 5k runners. She didn’t come with the usual runner’s physique, notably early in her running and likely her exercising career. Her face reflected pain with each burdened step. She forced herself to move in running form, pumped weary arms and raised aching knees, though by now she would gain more ground by simply walking. At times it appeared she didn’t move forward an inch for all her effort.

And she had more of the race in front of her than she had yet run.

One from that cloud of witnesses spoke to her.

“Are you doing ok?” he asked.

Between painful breaths, she rasped, “I only . . . want to finish.”

He encouraged her forward where others also stood along the path. They cheered her on as she reached them, then sent her along to the next.

Since she was surrounded, the voices continued to strengthen her as she took each next step.

One more little hill.

You’re almost there!

You’re doing great!

Keep going!

::

Can you hear them?