(Audio)
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us
and persevere in running the race that lies before us
We are surrounded by examples that prove that the Christian life is possible. The saints reveal that God's promise of grace in our time of need is real. They show us that even ordinary men and women can resist to the point of shedding blood, not by their own strength, but by grace.
The example of the saints show us what it looks like when people allow Jesus to set them on fire with his love. They show what it is like to love Jesus in all things and especially above all things to the point where we won't even put family before him.
We need the fire of Jesus' love in our hearts because when we are faithful to him we do encounter struggles. Like Jeremiah we may find ourselves sinking down into the mud because we refuse to preach anything other than the truth from God, even when it is a hard truth.
"Jeremiah ought to be put to death;
he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city,
and all the people, by speaking such things to them;
he is not interested in the welfare of our people,
but in their ruin."
But even if we do find ourselves in a pit the fire of God's love can make us confident enough to keep our eyes on him.
keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,
the leader and perfecter of faith
We know for sure that Jesus will lift us from our pits of despair if we keep our eyes on him. The whale eventually had to relinquish Job. The grave had no ultimate claim on Jesus. So too does his fire make us confident as we face whatever baptism to which he calls us.
"I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
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