DEVOTION:
Hebrews 12:1 — “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
THOUGHTS:
Good Sunday morning, church family. These pictures are of two of my grandsons following the State Relay race. They are cousins, both under eight years old, and were blessed to be on the same relay team. As you can see from those smiles, they were pretty pleased with their ribbons—and I have to admit, Grandpa was pretty proud too!
But as I looked at these pictures, I began thinking less about the ribbons and more about the relay itself. In a relay race, you don't run the entire race by yourself. Someone runs before you and places the baton in your hand. You run the part of the race that has been given to you, and then you pass that baton along to someone else.
Our Christian faith tells us that none of us began our Christian journey alone. Somewhere along the way, someone helped place faith into our hands. Maybe it was a parent or grandparent, a Sunday School teacher, a pastor, a friend, co-worker, or simply someone whose life quietly showed us what following Jesus looked like.
Hebrews tells us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” I love those words, “marked out for us.” We don't have to run someone else's race. We simply need to faithfully run the part God has given us. And while we are running, there is another generation coming behind us watching how we live, how we love, how we forgive, how we welcome, and whether the faith we speak about on Sunday makes a difference in the way we live on Monday.
But what exactly is the baton we are passing?
I believe it is the faith that was first placed into our hands. It is our knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. It is trusting God's Word, even when it is hard, turning to Him in prayer, knowing His grace when we fail, forgiving when it is difficult, loving our neighbor, serving those in need, and holding onto hope when life becomes hard. It is not simply telling the next generation what we believe. It is allowing them to see what we believe by the way we live. And someday, the baton will be in their hands.
Looking at my two young boys, I realize that I won't always be running beside them. None of us will run forever. There comes a time when our part of the race is completed, the baton is passed, and another generation continues where we left off. That makes what we do today incredibly important. May those who come behind us receive from us a faith worth carrying.
PRAYER:
Almighty and Holy God, thank You for this Sunday morning. Thank You for the beauty of these August days, for the warmth of summer, for family and friends, for conversations shared, meals around tables, children playing, and those ordinary moments that we sometimes fail to recognize as blessings. Before we ask You for anything this morning, we simply want to say thank You. You have been good to us in more ways than we probably realize.
Lord, we lift before You our church family. Some come into this day with hearts filled with joy, while others are carrying concerns they haven't shared with anyone. Some are waiting for answers. Some are facing decisions. Some are lonely. Some are grieving. Some are recovering and growing stronger, while others are simply tired. Meet each one exactly where they are today. Give strength where strength is needed, comfort where hearts are hurting, healing where bodies are struggling, and hope where the road ahead seems uncertain.
We pray for those traveling during these final weeks of summer. Watch over them and bring them safely home. We pray for our children and young people as summer begins moving toward another school year. Protect them, guide them, and surround them with people who will encourage them and help them become the people You created them to be.
Father, continue to guide our church. Keep us from becoming so comfortable within these walls that we forget the community beyond them. Give us eyes to notice people who need kindness, ears willing to listen, hands ready to serve, and hearts willing to welcome. May people encounter something of Jesus simply because they encountered us. This morning we lift the Bailey family as they mourn the loss of the matriarch. We pray for the Moore family as they word from the Pantagon of the deployment of their son, Jacob. We pray also for the healing of Nancy Moore, Ron Elkin, and Sherida.
We pray for our nation, for our President, for our elected officials, and for all who carry the responsibility of leadership. Give them wisdom greater than politics, humility greater than pride, and a genuine desire to seek what is good and right. Where our nation is divided, help us remember that disagreement does not give us permission to stop loving one another.
Our prayers reach beyond our own country this morning. We remember people living where war has become part of everyday life, families who have lost their homes, children who are frightened, those who are hungry, and those who wonder what tomorrow will bring. We pray for world leaders, for those seeking peace, and even for those we might consider our enemies. Soften hardened hearts, restrain violence, and remind all of us that every person is precious in Your sight.
And Lord, before we begin another week, help us look honestly at our own hearts. Show us where we need to forgive, where we need to listen, where we need to change, and where we simply need to trust You. Help us not only speak about our faith but live it—in our homes, our workplaces, our church, and everywhere this week takes us. We do not know everything the coming days will bring, but we know Who runs with us. And that is enough. In the loving and faithful name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
DEVOTION:
Hebrews 12:1 — “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
THOUGHTS:
Good Sunday morning, church family. These pictures are of two of my grandsons following the State Relay race. They are cousins, both under eight years old, and were blessed to be on the same relay team. As you can see from those smiles, they were pretty pleased with their ribbons—and I have to admit, Grandpa was pretty proud too!
But as I looked at these pictures, I began thinking less about the ribbons and more about the relay itself. In a relay race, you don't run the entire race by yourself. Someone runs before you and places the baton in your hand. You run the part of the race that has been given to you, and then you pass that baton along to someone else.
Our Christian faith tells us that none of us began our Christian journey alone. Somewhere along the way, someone helped place faith into our hands. Maybe it was a parent or grandparent, a Sunday School teacher, a pastor, a friend, co-worker, or simply someone whose life quietly showed us what following Jesus looked like.
Hebrews tells us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” I love those words, “marked out for us.” We don't have to run someone else's race. We simply need to faithfully run the part God has given us. And while we are running, there is another generation coming behind us watching how we live, how we love, how we forgive, how we welcome, and whether the faith we speak about on Sunday makes a difference in the way we live on Monday.
But what exactly is the baton we are passing?
I believe it is the faith that was first placed into our hands. It is our knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. It is trusting God's Word, even when it is hard, turning to Him in prayer, knowing His grace when we fail, forgiving when it is difficult, loving our neighbor, serving those in need, and holding onto hope when life becomes hard. It is not simply telling the next generation what we believe. It is allowing them to see what we believe by the way we live. And someday, the baton will be in their hands.
Looking at my two young boys, I realize that I won't always be running beside them. None of us will run forever. There comes a time when our part of the race is completed, the baton is passed, and another generation continues where we left off. That makes what we do today incredibly important. May those who come behind us receive from us a faith worth carrying.
PRAYER:
Almighty and Holy God, thank You for this Sunday morning. Thank You for the beauty of these August days, for the warmth of summer, for family and friends, for conversations shared, meals around tables, children playing, and those ordinary moments that we sometimes fail to recognize as blessings. Before we ask You for anything this morning, we simply want to say thank You. You have been good to us in more ways than we probably realize.
Lord, we lift before You our church family. Some come into this day with hearts filled with joy, while others are carrying concerns they haven't shared with anyone. Some are waiting for answers. Some are facing decisions. Some are lonely. Some are grieving. Some are recovering and growing stronger, while others are simply tired. Meet each one exactly where they are today. Give strength where strength is needed, comfort where hearts are hurting, healing where bodies are struggling, and hope where the road ahead seems uncertain.
We pray for those traveling during these final weeks of summer. Watch over them and bring them safely home. We pray for our children and young people as summer begins moving toward another school year. Protect them, guide them, and surround them with people who will encourage them and help them become the people You created them to be.
Father, continue to guide our church. Keep us from becoming so comfortable within these walls that we forget the community beyond them. Give us eyes to notice people who need kindness, ears willing to listen, hands ready to serve, and hearts willing to welcome. May people encounter something of Jesus simply because they encountered us. This morning we lift the Bailey family as they mourn the loss of the matriarch. We pray for the Moore family as they word from the Pantagon of the deployment of their son, Jacob. We pray also for the healing of Nancy Moore, Ron Elkin, and Sherida.
We pray for our nation, for our President, for our elected officials, and for all who carry the responsibility of leadership. Give them wisdom greater than politics, humility greater than pride, and a genuine desire to seek what is good and right. Where our nation is divided, help us remember that disagreement does not give us permission to stop loving one another.
Our prayers reach beyond our own country this morning. We remember people living where war has become part of everyday life, families who have lost their homes, children who are frightened, those who are hungry, and those who wonder what tomorrow will bring. We pray for world leaders, for those seeking peace, and even for those we might consider our enemies. Soften hardened hearts, restrain violence, and remind all of us that every person is precious in Your sight.
And Lord, before we begin another week, help us look honestly at our own hearts. Show us where we need to forgive, where we need to listen, where we need to change, and where we simply need to trust You. Help us not only speak about our faith but live it—in our homes, our workplaces, our church, and everywhere this week takes us. We do not know everything the coming days will bring, but we know Who runs with us. And that is enough. In the loving and faithful name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.