Cloud of Witnesses

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the phrase “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses”. Maybe I’m having these thoughts because we have been journeying with Moses over the past several days as he’s followed the orders from God and been directed through clouds. Or perhaps my mind has been moved by witnessing communities of believers praying for the healing and comfort of those who suffer illness and loss. Or maybe it’s being surrounded by people who believe in the intercession of those who have gone before us, who have followed the Commandments and have loved like Christ and who pray for us as we strive to live in relationship with Jesus. And maybe, just maybe, it’s a little of all of those thoughts.

Today, I wrote out the full passage from Hebrews. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.” I believe that God sent Moses down that mountain with those Commandments to pass on a road map of how to stay free from those burdens and sins. I believe that God gives us these communities of believers who pray together and support one another so that we can witness something greater than we can do alone. I believe that God surrounds us with those who are here on earth and those who have gone before us to help us to persevere, to help us to keep our eyes fixed on Him. When life seems cloudy, when it’s most difficult to see beyond what is going on right before our eyes, God reminds us to gather in community, to pray together, to hold on to our faith and to believe. He also allows us to choose. We want to be strong and sometimes in our anxiety and our stubbornness and our lack of humility, we miss precisely what He wants us to witness. We can’t see the forest for the trees or in this case the sun for the clouds.

We are truly surrounded by those who have gone before us but also those in our community and beyond. God wants us to rely on one another, in hope and in prayer and in love. He wants us to persevere in the race that lies before us with our eyes fixed on Him. He is the answer. I am humbled to be surrounded by so great a crowd of those He sends to bring us close to Him so we can experience His love and His healing. I am grateful for those God has put me with whether on bright sunny days or skies filled with clouds. Our God is so good and I am blessed to know a whole community of witnesses who bank on that every day and who are thankful for His love.