Pass the baton...

Growing up in South Africa, my home church was Christ the King Catholic Church. It was where you'd find my family every Sunday morning... seems like it was the 7am service; there was a lot of scrambling to get there on time, Dad occasionally picking up a passenger or two along the way.

That church was also where I found a passage from Scripture nestled in the pages of the church bulletin... that Scripture settled deep inside me, and comes back to me when I need it most. Sometimes, I forget... but, it was buried in my heart a long time ago, and it lodged there, preserved through all manner of trials...

You'll find it in the 8th chapter of Romans, verses 38-39:

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Over the years, I've allowed myself certain degrees of separation; allowed myself to be sold on a distorted view of who I am, who I should be; allowed my heart to wander... I've turned to other loves- self, work, things, the approval of others... and for a time they may have satisfied, but eventually Truth is revealed.

You see, God's laws and words and love is written on our hearts. We may allow ourselves to be distracted or enticed by the words of others, but our hearts were made for One and nothing and no one else will satisfy.

I've been going about this life all wrong- this is not a solo race. Think of it as a relay of sorts, where each of us has a role to play for the good of the whole team; where we're required at just the right time to pass on the baton to the next runner. So, I'm passing this baton to you with the same message that nothing will separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. I'm hoping you'll run with it for as long as you need; let it soak in and saturate and lodge deep in you... and then, I'm hoping, I'm praying that you'll do the same for someone else.