I hate you Morgan Freeman!/ Click on this title to see this video

Have you seen the Visa commercial with Derek Redmond in it? The British runner from the '92 olympics that was injured during the race. If you haven't seen it or have no idea what I am talking about, I will sum up. He starts out the 400 strong, but he gets injured, it looks like a hamstring injury. He kneels, cluthing his leg, he is still, then he stands and he continues the race, hopping around the track. His dad comes along side of him and helps him finish the race. I saw that commercial last night for the first time and it got me, I started to cry. Put me right there with all of those card and telephone commercials. The marketing department did a good job on that one. Although, I must say, I had no desire to go out and charge items on my credit card. I did however have to check it out on Youtube. What the commercial does not show, but is the best part, is that his dad ran onto the field and was originally restrained by olympic crowd control. He pushes them away and runs to him. People continue to come up to them trying to get them to stop. He yells at them and waves them off. The whole time supporting his son, quite literally, and continuing to walk with him. Put that to chariots of fire music and you have an oscar! Perhaps it tugged the heart strings so much because I go to the track and I jog, not fast, but I jog my rear around that track. It is hard work for me and no matter how slow I'm going, I'm going to meet my goal of 3 miles. Derek trained for years. Darn right he's finishing that race! His dad, while not a competitive runner trained with him. He encouraged, supported, cheered, rejoiced, you name it, they went through it together. So to see him enter the track with the intention and resolve to help his son finish, knowing his son had the will to do it injured, is just so beautiful to have seen. To see him run, fight off people who are standing in the way of him getting to his son, and to continue to disregard the people telling them to stop. Wow! I thought of the verses in Hebrews 12:1-3, "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. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." I was so encouraged by this video because so often reading this passage, I envision the Lord standing at the finish line of life, if I may be so philosophical, cheering, encouraging, supporting. But what makes even more sense is that he is right next to us, holding us up, Supporting our legs, giving us the encouragement because he is as involved as we are. He feels the pain, the burn of muscles that are tired. He knows. He knows. And the video shows Derek, determined, eyes forward, his dad comes alongside, and then he knows, he is not alone. Praise the Lord for beautiful human pictures of His love that cannot be remotely understood this side of Heaven.