Articles
Cheering Those Who Cross the Finish Line
In cross-country or XC, as it is called, runners keep pace over difficult terrain for over three
miles as the trail often weaves out of woods or hilly terrain. When my kids ran XC in high school,
I discovered that all parents of competitors from various schools would cheer every kid. XC was
enough of an individual sport that we all wanted to see each runner do well—but especially
finish the course.
Cheering parents and others lined the last hundred yards before the finish line, shouting
encouragement to each kid to continue, that he or she was almost there … but the loudest show
of support was for the kid who came in last, who was often many minutes behind the strongest
athletes who crossed first. Each time this kid was almost always in distress, breathing hard and
holding his side. His pace had dropped to a fast walk—but he was still in the race. Perhaps the
cheers and clapping were all that were keeping him going until he crossed that line and
collapsed.
That is the job for those of us who realize that we are mortal and look forward to one day
crossing the finish line ourselves. Knowing the struggle of the race, we line the last hundred
yards and encourage all who are determined to endure to the end. The clapping and our shouts
of support are loud … but then we realize our great loss of them here on earth as they go
beyond the veil, beyond our sight, into eternity. That which we can only read about in God’s
Word as we hold firm to His promise, they are now seeing face to face.
But that is why we lined the final trek—to usher them home. That is why we
encouraged—because we also hoped. That is what we want for ourselves when that day comes
and we struggle to persevere and are limping towards that finish line. It’s bittersweet for us here,
but “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15). We’ll be home.
