I thought it was an ad for a lousy radio station—you know, that white oval on the rear window of SUVs that simply says “26.2”? That doesn’t even come in on my dial. So then I reasoned it might be a secret number for a clandestine society. Once, seeing a young person exiting his Land Rover with the mysterious sticker, I sidled up and whispered, “26.2…” hoping for a knowing nod and a special handshake. By the way, did you know that a restraining order specifies how many feet you must stay away from the complainant?
Finally, a friend brought me up to speed. It stands for twenty-six point two miles—the length of a marathon! Who knew those who have run a marathon would enjoy displaying that decal to the world? Well now, that answers a lot of questions, doesn’t it?
One reason it was a mystery to perfectly sane people like me (honest…you can ask my therapist) is because a marathon apparently isn’t a great spectator sport. I made this discovery when a group of us drove south through the newly greening Hocking Hills to cheer for our friends as they completed The Athens Marathon. One was running a half marathon (thirteen miles) and another was competing in her very first complete marathon.
When we arrived there were lots of participants but very few spectators. It was inspiring to sit in the bleachers and watch as participants trotted onto the track of the field hockey stadium at Ohio University. It was a new drama each time another participant entered the stadium, weary but purposed as they focused on their final lap. And there we were, the spectators, about fifteen of us waiting for our friends to enter for their final lap. I have to admit, I fought back tears when they appeared…across the way, maintaining a respectable pace, smiling and waving back at us as we stood and cheered. We made fools of ourselves, whistling and hooting, totally caught up in the drama of their accomplishment. Later, they spoke through moist eyes how much it meant that we were there to cheer them on.
I couldn’t help but make the connection between my friends’ marathon experience and our personal spiritual marathon. Paul refers to a “great cloud of witnesses who are cheering us on” as we run our own personal races here in this lifetime. The hackneyed phrase, “Life is a marathon, not a sprint,” never felt truer as I stood and cheered my beloved friends on toward the obvious finish line in front of them. I thought, “I wish we could do this more often for one another spiritually.” I do! Don’t you wish we would seize more opportunities to cheer one another on toward our spiritual goals? I know we do that for our kids more often than for us grownups. Honestly, there are times a single, “Atta-boy!” has carried me for days!
I want to take this opportunity to cheer for you and let you know I truly do want to see you succeed today. You can rise above your doubts and fears and run the race set before you in faith, knowing the Lord is pleased with you as well.
So let me say it to you right now—
- “Atta-boy!”
- “You go, girl!”
- “Good job! You can do it!”
- “You are amazing!”
“A huge cloud of witnesses is all around us.
So let us throw off everything that stands in our way.
Let us throw off any sin that holds on to us so tightly.
Let us keep on running the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1 (NIrV)