Our granddaughter Teya is a cross-country runner.  Credit for this photo is to her mom Hope Ellen Bailey and the Bible Lens App.

I am so grateful for all the years that I have lived, and I am very aware that the older I get the more I slow down.  I have “run the race” for over 67 years and some of those years have been harder than others.  This verse has encouraged me for many years.  Can you imagine the host of Heaven cheering you on?  Abraham, Isaac, Moses, David, Daniel…all of the great Biblical heroes are the witnesses to our daily lives and struggles.  As I struggle with my family relationships, a “cloud of witnesses” is watching my choices, because it is a maze in this race.  I have family members who believe in the Lord and are saved and others who want nothing to do with God.  Yet we are all family, siblings that have gone our different ways and are running our races differently.  I want to run my race on the path that God has marked out for me.  I have no doubt that there have been times that I have strayed, but when I get back on the path that God wants me on, the “cloud of witnesses” is right there to cheer me on.  I sent Teya a message when I saw this photo.  “Way to go, Teya!”  Can you hear the Heavenly Host cheering you on when you make the choice to run the race on the path God has set our for you?  “Way to go!  Keep going!  You’re doing great!”  My takeaway from this Scripture is threefold:  1)God has a path marked for me.  It is my choice to follow that path by praying daily about the way I should go that day.  2)I have a “cloud of witnesses” encouraging me.  Some of my encouragement comes from my friends and family here on earth.  But when I don’t hear any encouraging words from them, if I know for sure that I am on the path God wants me to be on, I can count on being encouraged from on high.  I just have to be quiet for a few minutes and listen for it.  3)God loves me so much that He wants me to keep on going, through all of the tough times and the times when I feel all alone.  He has set a path for me, and I’m still going because He isn’t finished with me yet.  Do you know that God wants you to run your race?  He wants you to keep on going and watch for the blessing that is coming your way just because of your obedience.  No, this is not a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that is promised.  It is eternal life with Him, and it is worth the running to get there.  One final word:  No one runs without first training or he/she will suffer a grave injury.  Our training comes in daily reading God’s Word, daily praying and listening for His answers, daily examining ourselves, forgiving others and ourselves and moving to the path to run.  Some days, the path is a maze, others the path has hurdles on it.  However, always remember that the path you are running, the life that you are living, is for God’s glory and He and His Heavenly Host are cheering you on.  Victory is ours, through Christ Jesus our Lord!