P50116, thanks for your comments. I certainly don't intend to come across as bashing Max. His contribution to the encouragement of the faithful, including me, has been significant. I tried to point out that the over-arching tenor of his writing is not along the lines of the caricature in this particular piece, it simply well-summarized a popular notion of God on the side-lines / in the stands. And, unfortunately, there IS a temptation to build theology on literary license - a license I don't think we have when it comes to Scripture. A cloud of witnesses in the stands or the body of Christ cheering us on is a faithful analogy, but our hope is built not on God cheering us on from afar, but that He has finished the race for us and singularly deserves all cheers. Because of that, we can continue to run. To that point, the verses cited are written to remind a people not that God is cheering for them, but that He is already the Victor, so they can endure. Thanks for letting me clarify.