In every race there are contestants and there are spectators. The Bolder Boulder is different. All 50,000 of us in the stands had run the race ourselves.
We were both spectators and contestants.
Hebrews would call us a "great cloud of witnesses" (Heb. 12:1). The word "witnesses" refers to people who are able to talk about what they themselves have seen and heard. The point of Heb. 12:1 is that the heroes of faith in chapter 11 cheer us on, knowing full well from personal experience the kind of agony we are experiencing. We, the contestants, must now "run with perseverance the race set before us." Others can encourage us to persevere in the contest because they have completed the exact same race.
I love that!
As I mentioned yesterday, after the race, winner Conner Mantz praised the crowd for the electricity it had added to his effort. But then he added this:
It's tough, though, like trying to kick and you're out of breath. It's tough to really enjoy the crowd 100% but I enjoyed it as much as I could.
My experience was similar. As a contestant in the race, I had little time to look around as I entered the stadium.
I had to keep my eyes focused on the finish line and had to do so without distraction. In a similar vein, Hebrews encourages us to "keep our eyes on Jesus." Jesus mirrors the entire race from beginning to end and now waits with outstretched arms to welcome us at the finish line. Sure, we can draw encouragement from the crowd. But I can tell you from personal experience that focusing on others causes only spiritual weariness and discouragement. But looking at Jesus renews our strength and electrifies our courage.
Let's look to him today, shall we?