The finish is in sight! Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses… Hebrews 12:1 Can you imagine running the Boston Marathon, or any of the major marathons, for that matter? Think about the crowd of folks all along the route and especially at the finish line whooping it up as you run by. Sometimes, I think I can hear them cheering me on. All those saints (known and unknown) who have gone before me: “Keep going! Don’t give up now! The finish is in sight!” They have run their race and now they cheer for those of us who are still running. …let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us… The race is not about winning or losing…it is about finishing. And the course seems at times to be more like an obstacle course. Add to that the additional challenge is that some of us are running with back packs full of things we don’t need on our backs: anxious thoughts, secret sins, resentments, selfish ambitions to name a few. Set them down. Let them go. Leave them behind. And look to the finish line… Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, …has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. He’s waiting there for you! Jesus suffered the shame and agony of the cross because he knew the joy that was before him. The joy of doing the will of his Father. The joy of reconciling sinners to God. The joy of salvation for you and me! Keep going! Don’t give up now! The finish is in sight! Blessings,
Matthew+ Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP p. 232) | 
