Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Hebrews 12:1 NIV
Surrounded
Canada shares land borders with only one country, the United States, but it is surrounded by three countries. How can this be? Well, the border between Canada and the US is the longest border shared between two countries in the world, measuring over 8,891 kilometres. That being said, Canada also has maritime borders with Greenland (an autonomous territory of Denmark) and Saint Pierre and Miquelon, islands which belong to France. Once you clear immigration to get onto St. Pierre and Miquelon, you are in the European Union.
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In a day when too many have forgotten history, and act as if there has been no past before they arrived on the scene, the Bible is a book that is written, along with many other things, to remind us of all God has done throughout history, from the first day until the coming of Jesus and the birth of the Church. We who follow Christ do not live in a vacuum. We follow two millennia of Church history, and we follow in the footsteps of faithful followers of Jesus over those years. We are called to guard the truth of the Gospel, and the preaching of the Kingdom, knowing that as we do, those who have already run the race are cheering us on from Glory. Hebrews 12:1 puts it beautifully: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” We are called to run this race of faith with determination and free from the entanglements of the world, just as those who came before us have done.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley