Cheer Squad

Hebrews 12:¹ “Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.” (MSG)

Hebrews 12:^1-4 “Therefore, 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 trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.”

In this race, once you have handed over your baton, you join the crowd of witnesses. For us to finish strong, we see five things that jump at us from this scripture. The first thing is, Remember That Heaven Is Watching. I must remember that heaven is watching me. We are surrounded by a huge crowd of witnesses. We have a whole stadium filled, with people tuning in from heaven, watching our race. And God is saying because heaven is watching, run and finish strong. Your life is being watched. My life is being watched. Your life has an audience. My life has an audience. Heaven is watching, and that is big. So, it means that in everything you and I do (the good, the bad, the ugly), heaven is watching.

Job 31:⁴ “He sees everything I do and every step I take” (LB). God saw that person you helped. He saw the good you did, that nobody saw, and you were not acknowledged for. He also saw every sin committed. He sees everything. Pause and think about it for a moment, in your business, Moses is watching your leadership. Moses is probably eating popcorn in heaven, watching to see what you will do. Abraham is watching. David is watching. Naomi is watching. Ruth is watching, she sees how you are treating your husband. The beauty is, they are not watching to see you fail so they can have a good laugh at how much of an amateur you are.

Scriptures say the crowd of witnesses means a crowd that is cheering. So, Abraham, Moses, David, and Ruth are not watching to criticize you. They are watching to cheer you on, and that is big. It also means that at the stadium in heaven, they are not looking at your life and waiting for you to make a dumb mistake. No, heaven is watching, cheering you on, and saying, ‘You can do it! Get up! Yes, you stumbled on that huddle, that is fine. Get up, go for it, you can do it.’

Prayer: Father, I thank You because I am not alone. Not only do I have You cheering me on, but I also have this great crowd of witnesses, thank You Lord, in Jesus Name. Amen!