Next week is my Gram’s birthday. She will be 89 years old. She has been such an integral part of my life. One of my most vivid images of her is, and always has been, how she worships Jesus. She praises Him with her entire self, standing there with her arms raised to Him for what seems like hours. She has always done this, and never seems to get tired doing it. I would get exhausted just watching her!

One of her most favorite scriptures in the bible is Hebrews 12:2. She always writes that verse in our birthday cards and quotes it often. It wasn’t until recently that I really read it and understood what it was saying…

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Our Christian lives are not compared to a sprint, but to a marathon. In a sprint, you run as fast as you can for a short distance, and speed is the critical factor.

But in a marathon, stamina and endurance is the critical factor.

Finishing the race is important to us believers, who call ourselves followers of Christ. Praise God that such a great cloud of witnesses surrounds us; that we can be inspired by those that have finished the race and gone on before us.

My Gram is in the process of finishing her race. She is doing it with the endurance that can only come from Jesus. She is praising and worshipping Him in her hospital bed, with her arms as raised as they can be, and us singing along with her! I can almost hear our Savior’s voice saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant… You have fought the good fight… You have finished your race… Enter into the joy of the Lord…”

This gives me such hope. She has created quite a legacy for us to follow, as she was the first to fall in love with Jesus. And soon she will be amongst the great cloud of witnesses, with Jesus, for eternity. And there is nothing more hopeful than that!