Welcome to the Set Your Mind Above podcast, where every day, ordinary events teach us extraordinary eternal truths! I am your host BJ Sipe, and I’m so glad you’ve tuned in today! I am excited to share my life & my faith with you, and I sure hope you’ll do the same with me along the way.
I am more sore than I have been in quite sometime after today’s racquetball game with my good friend Ronnie. Every Wednesday afternoon during our lunch breaks, the two of us head over to the Danville Recreation Center and try to wear each other out on the court. Well, between him being out of town and conflicting schedules, today was the first day that we have played in over three weeks. Needless to say, I’m not in my teens or twenties anymore, because I am paying for not stretching as much as I should have before our games. Lucky for me, Ronnie is also not in his teens or twenties anymore, so we were both terrible getting back into it today! I beat him to the club and when I got there both courts were being used by about 12-15 different children. Apparently they usually are all at the pool, but it was temporarily shut down to fix a chlorine problem, so I thought we were going to have to wait. The staff there noticed me and said it was not problem, so they stuck all the kids on one court to play wall ball etc. while Ronnie and I played our games on the other one. We played our first game and it was obvious that we needed to warm up – in fact we went back and forth for about 5 minutes before anyone even scored a point! I ended up finding my grove and obliterated him in our fist game, 15-3. We took a quick break and went back in for our second game, which I again won 15-6. We came back out and several of the kids had taken a break and were sitting outside in the hallway. We chatted with them as we caught our breath and finally I asked them, “Alright guys, who do you think is going to win the next game?” They all placed their bets and picked their favorite (nearly all of them chose Ronnie btw, merely because of the fact that they discovered he wears size 15 shoes). We took the court and I got ready to serve when I looked back behind me. “Ronnie” I said, and motioned to the window. He turned around and looked. There were about 12 faces all pressed up against the glass, anxious to watch these two adults duke it out on the racquetball court. We smiled, “Oh, the pressures on now!” Ronnie said. I served and suddenly we found ourselves thrust into a face paced game with the kids cheering on behind us. Ronnie quickly took the lead and never looked back, in fact he smoked me 15-7 that last game. About halfway through it the kids all disappeared because the pool reopened, and I can’t blame them, I would rather swim than watch me hit a ball. But it was fun while it lasted! Having someone there watching and cheering you on in your corner is exciting, especially when it’s coming from a fun bunch of kids. It gave us energy knowing they were behind us, and pushed us to play even harder than we would have if we were all alone.
As I drove home to grab a much needed shower, I thought about how important it is to know that you have people behind you, cheering you on in every area of our lives – especially when it pertains to our faith. I know a few weeks ago we already highlighted Hebrews 12:1-2, but I want us just to focus in on the context of that passage and then read it again. Hebrews 11 is dedicated to men and women of faith that we read of throughout the Scriptures, in fact it’s often called the “Hall of Faith”. People like Noah, Abraham, Moses, the Judges, and many more are all discussed and commended for their faith. It is then that we read the following words: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2) What gives us the courage, motivation, and strength to run this race with endurance? To keep pushing forward and give it our absolute best in this life and our walk of faith? Is it not in part because of this great cloud of witnesses? Just consider all those that have gone before us, faithful men and women that faced great and difficult challenges, and yet they endured and held fast to their trust & hope in God. These faithful witnesses, this great audience, now stands by and watches us in our own race, cheering us on and reminding us that we can do it, to not give up! They remind us that we are not alone in our struggles, and that if they made it so can we! That gives me courage, it gives me renewed resolve to fight the good fight of faith just like they did! But not only this, I am given that same level of encouragement when I know that my brothers and sisters in Christ that are here now are behind me and support me too. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” As the church, we should know with certainty that we always have each other’s backs. What a beautiful picture the church is when we behave in such a way. When older mothers are there to encourage and lift up a tired, discouraged younger mother. When older men are there to instruct and support, not belittle, the younger men of the congregation. When members are not afraid of their shepherds, but rather run to them when they are afraid. Knowing that you have your church family behind you and in your corner gives you strength and renewed zeal like nothing else in this life. I don’t know who all is listening in today, but I want you to know that I’m behind you and I’m cheering you on. Let’s lift each other up, and let’s help each other as we run this race of faith together.
Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. Tune in, Tuesday-Fridays, as a new podcast episode will be uploaded each day. Also, be sure to follow the Facebook page for the Set Your Mind Above podcast for future announcements and weekly video sessions that are uploaded on Saturdays. As you have the opportunity, share these thoughts with your friends and family, and share with me what important lessons you are learning from every day, ordinary events. Until next time know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above!