Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… Hebrews 12:1

Finally. At the end of the Hall of Faith comes the fun part. It's the "so what" about what we've just read. So what about all of those who have gone before us in faith: Abraham, David, Samuel, Rahab, Japheth, the prophets and those unnamed millions who've risked it all for the Gospel? What about them? The very next verse says it all: "a great cloud of witnesses." I get the picture of those great men and women of God cheering us on, hoping we'll carry the torch that they left behind, drawing us to the Finish Line. They've left a great legacy for us to follow, and it's up to us to actually follow.

In this world, you are not alone. Sometimes you may think you are, but you aren't. Many of those men and women of faith felt that loneliness and despair. They felt isolated and cut off from good, caring people. They may have been surrounded by the evil of their day, but they had a hope that was greater and more powerful than the troubles and darkness they were facing.

I've been there; you've been there; we've all been before. It's not new. It wasn't new to them; it's not new to us.

And, Brothers and Sisters, we can overcome. Hang in there. The best is yet to come. The dark times you are facing will fade away. Keep the faith. Keep trusting the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Keep seeking the God who saves and delivers.