Have you ever had that feeling of panic that hits you when it seems nothing is going right? When the noise level in your space elevates to such a decibel that your heart begins to pound and the temperature in your body rises and you begin to sweat…
Surrounded.
By noise. By clutter, space, time constraints, people, winding up in exhaustion.
By chaos is what the enemy of your soul wants you to think. How do I know?
Walk with me. That is exactly what I’ve felt for the past few weeks. The noise level had nothing to do with the grandkids being here. The noise level was coming from everywhere and no where at the same time.
Guess what I have found. We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. Peering over the portals, if you will allow me to paraphrase into my ideas of what it means.
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV
Friend, today I held my Bible to look up something to share with my mother, and the very feeling of peace that seemed to wash over my soul was amazing. Just for my eyes to gaze upon the Word surprised my tired heart.
That’s what an encounter with Jesus will do every time. Instead of trudging through the day without Him—why not give the day to Him? For me, it’s the only way I can have true soul peace. True heart peace. Pure peace of mind.
That great cloud of witnesses are standing at a point seeing what we do not see. The nearness of the end. No, they don’t know the “day and hour” the Son of Man comes, for know one knows that—but I believe they can turn and see the table being readied. They can see the chairs being lined up just so. They can see Gabriel adding the last polish to the trumpet. They can see far more than we can. I also believe they are cheering us on.
“Don’t give up brother! Take heart sister! Though the trials you have suffered have been hard, there is such a joy set aside just for you ahead! Keep the faith! Lay aside all that would hinder you—whether it would be relationships, objects, or ideas of what you’ve heard that is contrary to God’s Word. Let nothing hinder you. Let nothing get in your way to your heavenly home—let nothing stand between you and doing what God would have you do. Keep your focus on HIM.
He focused on YOU and ME as He endured the cross. He knew that without His fulfilling what He came to do—we would be eternally lost. His focus was on us—so our focus could be Him.
You are surrounded. Pull up the blanket of peace. Tuck it in secure. Shout out His Words! Claim them as your own! (That’s what we have the Word for!) Find your Victory Statement this weekend—and pursue peace and joy with all your might!
Jeff & Angie 
