The Father is for us

I'm not much for sentimentalism. I like to keep my emotional roller-coaster as flat as possible, I never cry at the movies or at weddings. I don't get too worked up anymore even when other people make my life difficult. To me it's not worth it. Maybe it's German culture working it's way into my emotional life. I don't understand it. It just seems to be the way I am wired. But the other day I was thumbing through social media and someone I esteem posted a video. I don't look at everything on my page, but I took the time to watch a 3 minute clip about an elderly couple watching their grandson swim at the Olympic games in Brasil. If I might summarize quickly. As the video starts, two gray haired people are sitting in their easy-chairs glued to the television. The camera zooms in as grandpa begins to yell at the tube in short bursts. "Come on boy!" and a few seconds later, "Swim Kyle!" Then as the race peaks gradually their eyes grow wider and suddenly both grandparents cover their faces in their hands. They're stunned. Tears flow. Their grandson just won gold at the Olympics. They kiss and everything is mushy and emotional. Just my thing right? But I admit it, after this clip I was deeply moved. I don't know what it was. It caught me by surprise too. As I closed the player on my phone the thought came to me, "That's a great picture of Hebrews 12." After the famous chapter 11, the list of faith-heroes of the Old Testament, the author says,

"Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." 

I sat there thinking that according to the text, the heroes of the faith and Jesus himself are in the unseen realm cheering us on not unlike the grandparents from the video. Can you imagine God is so much for us that he's repeatedly rooting for us and encouraging us to give our all, to keep our eyes on Christ who also ran a race before us. He cries out,

"Come on, Mike! Run! 

You've got this! 

Keep you head up! 

I'm behind you all the way!"

I was wrecked. I had caught a glimpse of the Father's heart.


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