Holiest of All by Andrew Murray

478 XTbe DoUest of ail
us now look at that life in its visible manifestation as a race we
run, and learn what is
needed to run well and win the crown.
Therefore, let us, Seeing we are compassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses, run the race. The first encouragement
to run the race with patience is to yield ourselves to the
influence of the cloud of witnesses that encompass us, and to
follow their example of faith and patience. We had the word
" witness " five times in the previous chapter : through faith they
received ivitness. And so they become witnesses to its power
and the good pleasure of God it brings to the soul. They all
with one accord, Abel and Enoch and Noah, Abraham and
Sarah, Moses and the prophets, as with one heart and mouth
witness to us : Be of good courage, fear not ; be strong in faith,
and persevere. The victory and the reward are sure and glorious.
We are one with them and they with us. They could not be
perfected without us ;
in us is to be perfected what they began.
They held fast the promise when all was dark : they plead with
us, now the full light has come, to hold fast the faith firm unto
the end.
Therefore let
us also, even as they, lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset us. Here is our second
lesson. One of the first thoughts connected with a race is the
laying aside of everything that can hinder. In the food he eats
and the clothing he wears how resolutely the rutmer puts aside
everything, the most lawful and pleasant, that is not absolutely
nece.ssary to his succe.ss.
Sacrifice, self-denial, giving up, laying
aside, is the very first requisite on the course. Alas, it is this
that has made the Christian life of our days the very opposite of
running a race. The great study is, both in our religious teaching
and practical life, to find out how to make the best of both worlds,
how to enjoy as much as possible of the wealth antl the pleasure