The Baton

The indoor track and field Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) championships were held last night at the University of Dubuque in the Chlapaty Wellness and Recreation Center (CRWC). The kids and I arrived later in the evening, just in time for the relay races.

Undertand this... the indoor track is oval in shape and is only 200 meters long. An outdoor track is oval in shape and is 400 meters long.

The runners from all the schools were poetry in motion - chiseled arms pumping, muscle toned legs flying, cheeks inhaling and exhaling at a furious pace, hair wind blown, tummies flat and ripped, determined minds extremely focused, rabid fans cheering and the most important of all... baton firmly fixed in the grasp of the runner's hand ready to be passed on to the next runner in the relay.

Passing the baton to the next runner in the relay is a carefully choreographed dance, almost with ballet type precision and grace. Every runner passed the baton without fail... except for one team. The baton holder tried with great effort to pass on the baton to his teammate but could not find his waving hand within the space allowed. Both runners frustrated veered off the track in complete disgust having never passed the baton and therefore being disqualified from the race. One sad note was the next runner who was 200 meters away didn't realize that his team had been disqualified and there he stood waiting and waiting for his teammate to come around the last turn. It wasn't until an official came over and whispered to him that no one would be coming that his shoulders slumped and he walked off the track in great disappointment.

Agony struck one of our University of Dubuque runners. Having just received the baton, he took off like a bandit and then for no apparent reason the baton simply slipped from his grasp and the baton bounced erratically on the ground as his body kept running forward...

My iWitness...

For a lot of us the baton of the Christian Faith was passed on to us from our family. I know it was for me. My grandparents were faithful Christians. My parents were faithful Christians. Every Sunday we were at church. Before church was Sunday school. Every week I was at choir practice as a young person. After choir practice was youth group. With the baton of Jesus in my hand I went off to college and have never stopped running since. The passing of the baton was successful!

As I watched that one relay team not make the baton pass successfully my heart broke for the runner who was 200 meters away who was waiting for the baton that would never come.

Let's break that down...
The first runner was the dad. The second runner was the son. The third runner was the grandson. The fourth runner the great grandson.

The dad (1st runner) runs the race and it comes time for him to pass it on to his son (2nd runner) and for whatever reason is unsuccessful in passing it on. The baton is dropped. Now the grandson (3rd runner) is on the track. He is ready to run. He is in position bouncing on the balls of his feet. He can't wait to get the baton. The baton never arrives. And here is the saddest part... the great grandson (4th runner) never even gets to go out on the track.

Make it our aim to pass on the baton of faith to our children. Don't leave it up to the Church to do that. Don't leave it up to the private Christian School to do that. It is up to us! It's up to you and me to run the race and pass on the baton of faith to those coming after us.

Where would Timothy from the New Testament be without his mom and grandmother. Listen to Paul's words to Timothy...

"I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 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,vfor God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1. 5-7)

Don't forget about my friend who dropped the baton in the middle of the race.

You know what he did?

He stopped, turned around, bent down, picked up the baton and started running again.

Have you ever dropped the baton?

Me too...

It's okay. It happens. Just don't keep running without the baton.

Stop (recognize something is missing). Turn around (repent), bend down (get down on your knees if you have to), pick up the baton (the faith is right there - it won't run away from you) and start running the race again (other Christians are cheering you on) keeping our eyes on Jesus.

One last thought... there are people 1200 meters down the track that are depending on us to get down the track of life and pass the baton...

You may trip, stumble and flat out fall on your face along the way. The good news is that as you hold on to the baton, the baton holds on to you...

Have a great run...

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!