The greatness of your life is not so much in what you leave behind,
but in what you send forward
– Ray Noah –
One of the most exciting events to watch in the Olympics is the 4×100 relay. But, so much can go wrong during the critical moment when the baton gets passed from one runner to the next, resulting in the team being disqualified. It’s a short window of opportunity to make the exchange – only 20 meters, with a 10-meter acceleration zone for the next runner to get up to speed. The runner passing the baton or the one receiving the baton could drop it, they could veer out of their lane in the process or obstruct another runner or could run out of the 20 metres takeover zone without passing the baton.
There are so many Scriptures that use the illustration of us being in a race and the writer to the Hebrews encourages us to run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12v1,2 ESV). Jesus, in His final words, leaves us with a picture of the Christian life being like a relay race. We are each called, not only to be disciples of Jesus Christ and become more like Him, but to also pass on the baton and make disciples. Matthew 28:18 ESV And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We are carrying the baton of our faith and are called to pass it on to others, who in turn will pass it to another, and so on.
To win the race, we must intentionally live for Christ in the present.
Paul understood this and at the end of his life, while he was in prison, he knew his time was short and that he was close to finishing the race he had been called to run. It was time to make sure the baton he was passing on, was securely in the hand of those who would continue the race. 2 Timothy 2:1,2 NLT Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
In a relay race, the person crossing the finish line wins for the Team.
When Kenny and I married we did not serve the Lord and lived for ourselves. After 3 years of living selfishly, our marriage was not in a good place and a group of about 20 Christians in our community decided to fast and pray for seven days for our salvation.
Numerous attempts to speak to us about Jesus had failed and on the evening of the seventh day of their fast, they celebrated with a praise party.
That night I had a spiritual experience and met Jesus while asleep. I woke up totally renewed, my spirit was born again and my life was radically changed. Two months later Kenny came to know Jesus as well and in the next two years we found ourselves on the path that resulted in us leading 2 churches and walking in an Apostolic call to the Nations. Everything we have walked in during these past 35 years is because 20 Christians passed the baton on! Our victories are their victories!
Each person we have in our sphere of influence is counting on us to do our part
Ephesians 4:15,16 ESV Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
We are all called to share our faith and to share our gifts that God has given us. Through doing so, we are passing the baton of faith to each other. One day when we stand before Jesus Christ, every person we have passed the baton to and those from whom we have received the baton, will stand with us. The only thing we can take with us to heaven is people. That is our greatest treasure!
Who are you running with in the 20-metre change-over zone?
Who is ahead of you ready and waiting to receive your baton?
If you feel you have dropped the baton, pick it up and keep running. You are not disqualified if you drop the baton, only if you stop running and don’t finish the race. Failure is not falling down….it is staying down!
If you feel you have veered off your lane, get back into your lane and keep running!
We have no idea how long our race will continue, but in the time we have, let us pass the baton on to as many people as possible so there will always be those who are reaching out to others with the Gospel, establishing others in their faith, and equipping others for the purpose God has called them for.
When our race is done, may we be able to say together with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2Timothy 4:7 ESV)
– Maureen le Roux