The hand-off

While watching the Olympic coverage, I was captivated by the 4x100 event. Runners, moving at top speed, hand off a baton from one to the other at each leg of the race.  Those athletes make it look easy, but try to imagine running as fast as you are able, meeting another runner on the track who started running full-speed in front you, and making the connection in precisely the allowed distance.  A dropped baton results in disqualification!  The race became a kind of parable for me, reminding me of the importance of the hand-off of faith to others, and especially to the next generation. When it happens, I am thrilled. When the hand-off fails, my heart is broken.

I cherish the treasure memories of the sowing of the Gospel seed in my life and the investment of those in my life who took time to solidly put the baton in my grasp!  At the edge of my memory are scenes of both sets of grandparents in our tiny rural Iowa church, there always, with engaged hearts. My Grandfather Baker’s voice sounded from the pulpit, not as my preacher, but as what we used to call the ‘song-leader,’  who led out in the hymns that flowed out of our worship and struggles of life.  I remember Grandpa Scott’s public prayers which he offered when called up in our Assembly, his heavy accented English, always beginning with the line : ‘our loving Heavenly Father.’  How I would love to hear his strong Danish accent one more time.  

My Mom’s prayers are unforgettable for their passion and volume!  A true Pentecostal, she sometimes terrified me with Old Testament prophetic warnings, but her life left an indelible imprint on me. My Dad’s commitment to love others remains formed my understanding of pastoral care.  Were all those who went before me perfect?  Silly question. They were very much human, but their faith was authentic and they handed it off to me and many others! Bev and I shared the desire of leading our children to faith in the living God and now I pray for my own grandchildren to know Him.

Christian parent, are your passing the faith along to your children?   Moses told the people of the Lord to " "“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, NLT) Why all this talk of ordinary life?  Because faith is better caught than taught!  We show the Way, leading by example. When we regularly worship, we demonstrate priority. When we pray about common needs, we show our reliance on the Lord. When we serve consistently, we invite our family to live with us in faith.   And so it goes!  

Beyond family, there were and are partners in the faith that called me higher, to better commitment. I shared breakfast yesterday with a man with whom I have walked the Way for 40 years, sharing ministry efforts, wrestling with doctrine, working through the implications of faith. We have handed the baton to one another again and again!

Not many will come to a faith in Christ Jesus because we can recite the Creed or explain finer points of Christian doctrine.
When/if they see Him in us,
hear Him in our words,
see His love in sacrifical choices we make -
He becomes winsome.

Jesus said like this - "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, NIV)

A critical mission for each generation of disciples is to hand off the faith. We are not just preserving a tradition!  We are communicating an experience of Life and the knowledge of Christ Jesus, the Savior. The expressions of that faith will change. The forms of faith of my grandparents are not the same in my life. New songs, differing expressions have evolved in me, just as they will evolve in those who come after me. However, the  truth of the birth, death, and resurrection of the Lord at the core of the Faith, remains always! 

Our core mission as Believers is to share Christ’s life with others, to invite them to follow us as we follow Him. We do not sell religion, we invite to a relationship. We don’t necessarily insist that others share our worship traditions or even our convictions on secondary doctrine. We pray that they see Jesus and learn that He is trust-worthy and true so they will put their lives in His hands.  When we do this, the faith is handed off from us to them, then from those to more.  This is the plan of the salvation of the world!

Meditate on these words this day and pray that God will help you run the race well even as you pass the baton of faith and service to others.  These are excerpts of Paul’s charge to a spiritual son named Timothy.  "I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. …  of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 1:3-13, NIV)

Pass the faith along, not just with words but in your example, God helping you.

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(Video of this blog at this link)

Passin' The Faith Along

 

Passin' the faith along to my brother

Passin' the faith along

Helpin' to build the faith of another

Passin' the faith along

Sharin' a word of hope with my brother

Helpin' to make him strong

Passin' the faith along to my brother

Passin' the faith along

 

The runner of a relay finds in his baton

Purpose for the runnin' and the strength to carry on

We hold within our grasp

The faith that makes us strong

And like the relay runner

We seek to pass it on

 

Countless generations of saints have come and gone

A spark ignites as an ember fades

And the faith continues on

A challenge to the young and assurance for the old

The faith burns ever brighter

Each time the story's told

 

Jon Mohr

CCLI Song #103786

© 1982 Mystic Beard Music; Jonathan Mark Music

CCLI License #810055