We’ve spent the last week at the racetrack here in Arizona. Those of you who know Dave and I know that we are big NASCAR fans. Watching on TV can be exciting but being at a live race is the best!
This weekend there are three different races. Each race has its’ own practice and qualifying times. Each race is a different length and each race has cars with different engines and calibrations.
But in every race the goal is the same. Reach the finish line and take the checkered flag.
Friday’s race was less than interesting, to me. The cars went slower, the drivers were less skilled and I wasn’t familiar with any of them. Yesterday’s driver introductions brought more cheers from the stands. These drivers’ were more well known and had built a bigger reputation, some for the good and others not so good.
Today’s race introductions will be before a larger crowd and the cheering will be amplified. These drivers are the elite and their skills and vehicles are top notch. The drivers have a larger fan base.
Isn’t that the way it is with life?
When we’re little our fans are limited to our own family members – mom, dad, grandma and grandpa. They ooh and aah over drawings and 100% on spelling papers. Then we join a youth sports team and the parents of our teammates are cheering for us too. We learn to respond to cheering.
God knew that and so He has given us a cheering squad for this race called life.
“We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall. 2 We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.” Hebrews 12:1-2 ERV
Heaven is filled with saints who are watching our race and cheering us on. Jesus is our leader, our coach and our number one cheerleader. He sits beside the Father, telling Him how great we are and how glad he is we’re all on the same team. He also tells the Father when we need help – Jesus intercedes for us.
How can we go wrong with a coach like that? Here on earth it’s nice to have a cheering squad too.
“ So encourage each other and help each other grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing.” I Thessalonians 5:11 ERV
We all need people who will encourage us and pray for us. People we can call on in the good times and the bad. People who are honest enough to tell us when we need to make a course correction. It’s called accountability. Find friends like that, true friends and value them. Pray that God will add friends like that to your life. They are true gifts.
And don’t give up running the race!