This Sunday, we gather for one of the most beautiful and meaningful services of the Christian year: All Saints Sunday. It is a day to pause and remember those who have gone before us in faith, those whose prayers, sacrifices, and examples made it possible for us to know Christ today.
Hebrews 12 paints a powerful picture of faith as a race, and we are told that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. The writer encourages us to lay aside every weight and run with perseverance the race set before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
At Midway, we will remember the names of loved ones who have finished their race and now rest in the presence of God. We will light candles and ring bells in their honor. Yet this day is not only about remembering; it is also about continuing the race they began. We are still running, still learning, still growing in faith. The saints are not gone; they are cheering us on from the stands of heaven.
To “run with the saints” means to live with courage, faith, and love even when life feels uphill. It means to give generously, serve joyfully, and trust that God is still at work in and through us. Their race has ended, but ours continues, fueled by the same Spirit that guided them.
As we gather this Sunday, we come not in sorrow, but in gratitude and hope that we will all share in the resurrection of Jesus. We remember, we give thanks, and we keep running. Because one day, by the grace of God, we too will cross that finish line and hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
This week, take a moment to thank God for the saints who shaped your faith. Whisper a prayer of gratitude for their lives, and let their memory inspire you to keep running your race, steady, faithful, and full of grace.
We are surrounded by love, strengthened by the Spirit, and running with the saints.