Today's scripture from Hebrews is...
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Today's scripture from Hebrews is one of the purple passages in the Bible. The great roll
call of faith is a masterpiece. Name after name is given of those faithful heroes who:
"through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the
mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of
weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight" (Hebrews 11:33-34). The
writer says that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
Carlyle Marney called these witnesses our balcony people. He said that we all have people who sit in our balcony and cheer us on. People of all ages who enable us to run the race with perseverance and grace. We cannot run the race alone. We find our way because there was Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah and David and Samuel and the prophets and a multitude of others. But we run the race faithfully because of all those other nameless champions. It might be a mother, aunt, father, cousin, or a scout leader. It might be a teacher or pastor or neighbor or author of some book we have read. Who sits in your balcony? Who cheers you on? Who is it that made it possible for you to keep on keeping on? We might reverse the order. Whose balcony do we sit in? Whom do we cheer on? Who is it that counts on us and our faith and fidelity?
The last graduation speech that Winston Churchill ever gave was when he stood up and said three times, "Never quit." And sat down.
On July 4, 1981, Atlanta held the Peachtree Run, which was a 10,000 meter race. Twenty-eight minutes after the race started, a man named Craig won the race. One hour and twenty minutes later, Mitch Reese came in. He was a victim of cerebral palsy and most of the crowd stayed until Mitch crossed the finish line.
Carlyle Marney called these witnesses our balcony people. He said that we all have people who sit in our balcony and cheer us on. People of all ages who enable us to run the race with perseverance and grace. We cannot run the race alone. We find our way because there was Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah and David and Samuel and the prophets and a multitude of others. But we run the race faithfully because of all those other nameless champions. It might be a mother, aunt, father, cousin, or a scout leader. It might be a teacher or pastor or neighbor or author of some book we have read. Who sits in your balcony? Who cheers you on? Who is it that made it possible for you to keep on keeping on? We might reverse the order. Whose balcony do we sit in? Whom do we cheer on? Who is it that counts on us and our faith and fidelity?
The last graduation speech that Winston Churchill ever gave was when he stood up and said three times, "Never quit." And sat down.
On July 4, 1981, Atlanta held the Peachtree Run, which was a 10,000 meter race. Twenty-eight minutes after the race started, a man named Craig won the race. One hour and twenty minutes later, Mitch Reese came in. He was a victim of cerebral palsy and most of the crowd stayed until Mitch crossed the finish line.
