CLOUDS OF HEAVEN

Ezekiel 29:1-30:26; Hebrews 11:32-12:13; Psalm 112:1-10; Proverbs 27:17

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”

“Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. The wicked will see this and be infuriated.”

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”

I could not let today come and go without quoting my favorite verse in all the Bible. Hebrews 12:1-3 is both a sword and shield for me. The shield part is easy to recognize and claim. Previous verses clarify that Yahweh’s All-Star Big Hitters – Abraham, Moses, Pete and Paul, Mary Magdalene and so forth – along with those we knew more intimately during our own lifetimes, are actually sitting in the bleachers, rooting us on as we go about the business of living our lives. It’s pretty cool to think that those giants of the faith care how we are doing. Hard to believe, but there’s no arguing with Scripture. Which brings me to the sword. Yahweh’s All-Star Big Hitters – Abraham, Moses, Pete and Paul, Mary Magdalene and so forth – along with those we knew more intimately during our own lifetimes, are actually sitting in the bleachers, rooting us on as we go about the business of living our lives. YIKES! Gosh, there’s a lot in my life I’d prefer no one saw, let alone the renowned saints of God… or my grandma, or my father-in-law and his wife, for example. If those folks are part of my cloud of witnesses, I may be too embarrassed to walk through the pearly gates! It gives one pause when we stop to think that our actions may be seen by far more eyes than we thought.

Yet, why should that make any difference at all? We know God sees everything. Maybe that’s become such a cliché it has lost its power to alarm us or cause us to change our ways. Maybe the whole idea of eternal judgment just isn’t personal enough to truly get under our skin. But if the idea that our family, friends and even pastors really are our witnesses does not make us straighten up and fly right, we are either shameless or simply do not believe what the writer of Hebrews tells us.

Rather than seeing the heavens as populated with a bunch of spiritual Peeping Toms, though, I prefer to focus more on the positive aspects of having a holy cheering section on my side. I can recall various athletic events where our fans kept us in the game, kept us from giving up and throwing in the towel. I remember too how catcalls and criticism from the stands were expressly verboten. That’s probably something like heaven. The saints aren’t really all that interested in the times we fail. Their attention is focused on our potential, and their hearts harbor no judgment of any kind.

Moreover, it is those in our clouds of witnesses who provide us with examples that give us courage and strength when we most need them. As I think I’ve said before, my father-in-law showed me an absolutely unearthly love when he continued to care for his dying wife at home, even after she became completely debilitated and was plainly made vicious by her brain tumor. My grandmother shared any number of goofy stories and therein, something more valuable: smiles, and even an occasional guffaw. My other Granny left behind memories of the best scrambled eggs one could ever hope to find… and cherished memories around the breakfast table with family to go with them. Her husband taught me how to die: courageously and without complaint, cramming every moment so full of life that even an untimely end could not cheat us out of knowing one of the most fulfilled humans ever. All our heavenly witnesses are resources, not judges. They are wise enough to know there is no need for their judgment. If the time comes, One will judge who is both more knowledgeable and better able to judge without rancor or bias. Witnesses know there role is just to give voice to the facts. They will not miss our failures and foibles. But neither will they hold them against us.

This seems a bit like what the writer of Proverbs had in mind when speaking of iron sharpening iron. We are all participants in the great adventure of life, and we are all witnesses to the actions and efforts of others. We need to be accountable to each other, and allow the examples of our heavenly witnesses permeate our minds and our souls as we live out our days. Finally, when the end comes, may we all handle our roles as well as those All-Star Big Hitters who have gone before and are rooting for us to join them!