Great Cloud of Witnesses

Studying: Hebrews 11-13
Memorizing: Romans 1:1-23
Thoughts: Good

"1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:1-2

I have had several different interpretations of these verses in the past. For the longest time I took verse 1 to mean that in some kind of mystical way up in Heaven the saints were watching us, cheering us on as we run the race. As inspiring as that may sound, as I thought about it more over the years I came to the conclusion that, given all that I struggled with, I really didn't want the saints watching me. It would be kind of embarrassing.

The best explanation I've heard was given by Pastor Ted Donnelly. The saints mentioned in Hebrews 11 are not witnessing us, we are witnessing them. They are not up in heaven looking down us. They're in the presence of Almighty God, why in the world would they turn their attention to us down here? But they have gone on before us. Their legacy is recorded in God's Word and their lives bear witness to the God's gracious work of faith in the lives of sinful fallen human beings. They have finished the race. They have born witness to the faithfulness of God. And now we having this great "cloud" of witnesses before us may run this race before us with confidence. Others ran, endured and reached the promised rest and so may we.