Cloud of Witnesses

I had the great opportunity to provide the devotional at Coach Sanderson's basketball camp today. The verses that he is focusing on this year are Hebrews 12:1-2. My talk was geared on the phrase, "since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses". As I was thinking about the devo the last couple of days, I thought about great (and not so great) sporting moments that I have witnessed in my lifetime. The best are probably USA's semifinal hockey win against the Soviets in 1980, later called the "Miracle on Ice" thanks to commentator Al Michaels call of the game in the final seconds when he stated. "Do you believe in miracles!?!" Another was my brother Mark's high school team in Hamilton Michigan winning an unlikely state championship in 1984. Then, this last season's overtime win in the state championship game for my Westbury Christian Lady Wildcats ranks right up there as well. Some memories of moments that were not so great are Bill Buckners error in the 1986 series against the Mets, Chris Webber's gut wrenching timeout call in the National Championship game against North Carolina (there is even a sports bar in Chapel Hill called "Time Out". That was excruciating to watch as a childhood Wolverine fan. Most recently, I feel poorly for Ricardo Clark in making an errant pass on Saturday that led to the early goal against Ghana in the World Cup knockout round. We were never truly able to recover our energy in the first half.

There are also, "I remember when..." moments in our lives where we witnessed history and can remember where we were at that time. I can remember being a third grader at piano lessons when Ronald Reagan was shot. I can remember being in the computer lab teaching a Health class at Westbury Christian when the planes flew through the twin towers on 9/11/2001. For my devo, I used the big moment for my daughter, Kylie, when she made her first basket in a game at Westbury Christian. That was definitely a moment to remember. We talked a little bit about all of the witnesses in Hebrews 11 that gave credibility to Hebrews 12.

I challenged the campers and coaches (and mostly myself) to make camp today an "I remember when..." moment. That they would make positive choices today that would affect their lives positively years from now. So that when they get older, their "cloud of witnesses" will think of them favorably and they will have credibility when they speak of Christ and His gospel. I love the use of the word "cloud". It implies that they are completely engulfed and surrounded by the witnesses of the great things accomplished in the past.

As we start the women' basketball program at Faulkner, it is important that we create great traditions and memories that turn into a legacy that we can be proud of so that our "cloud of witnesses" perceives us favorably. If we are perceived favorably, we can have a greater influence for Him and glorify His name!

Blessings,

Coach

Heb 12:1-2