Pentecost – Day 4 (28 June)

Two disciples were on their way, unknowingly, to the greatest divine moment of all time – Jesus’ empty tomb! At that time, they probably thought they were going to catch the thieves who came to steal Jesus’ body. For them, the grave was still the end. Little did they know that God’s plan is much greater and extends far beyond the grave. In fact, they were running towards life and not death – to a new beginning, not the end.

Paul uses the image of a race to explain something about our journey of faith. Some of us may be heading in the direction of a bigger, more glorious future. So where are we in this race today? We are still at the starting point. The shot has just been fired. What does this race look like? This is not a sprint to see who is the fastest, nor is it a marathon or a long and difficult battle. No, our journey of faith can be compared to a relay race. In a relay, there is a critical moment that determines the whole outcome of the race and that is the handing over of the baton. It does not help that you arrive at the finish line first, but you do not have the baton.

In life, it is not about who can run the fastest or the farthest, but rather whether we understand the precious message of God’s wonderful grace and love. For a moment, we are the bearers of this wonderful message within the framework of a much bigger picture.

Sometimes we come to a point in life where we feel like we have failed. However, children of God are more than conquerors through him who loves us, because through God’s Spirit, he lives within us. Therefore, we do not have to run around and panic. We can remain calm, Jesus is not gone. Everything is not over – our best days are yet to come.