“Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren,
my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved”
– Philippians 4:1 –
In Philippians 4, Paul answered certain tacit questions:
- What is the secret to victory? Stand fast in the Lord.
- What attitude should we cultivate even in challenging situations? Rejoice in the Lord always.
- What is the best way to live our lifestyle? Moderately, uprightly, and gently.
- There are so many things that worry me. What should I do? Let us not allow worry to burden our lives.
- I am distressed. What should I do? Pray to God, asking for His peace.
- I am not sure how to make the best decisions. What should I do? We have to choose whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, whatever is praiseworthy.
- Sometimes I think about prosperity and also about lack of resources. How should I deal with this? We must learn to live in poverty or in wealth.
- What should I do with the many good things I have learned? Live and share them with others.
There are relay races in athletics. They are foot races for teams of four or more competitiors in which a runner goes a certain distance and then passes a pipe called a “baton” to the next runner. This continues until the distance of the race is completed.
In the 4×100 race, the men’s world record is held by the Jamaican national team, with a time of 36.84 seconds, achieved at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Each runner must give the baton to the next runner. The baton is a cylindrical bar. It is thirty centimeters long, twelve millimeters wide, and has a minimum weight of fifty grams. It is smooth and hollow. The baton must be given from hand to hand. Carrying the baton is necessary to be able to win the race.
When God saves us, He works a total transformation in us.
He places the baton of our salvation in our hands
so that we may place it in the hands of another.
No one will reach Heaven alone.
Someone handed the baton to us so that we could hand it to someone else.
Let’s be team-players. May the Lord bless you…