“Pass on the torch, still brightly gleaming……”!
That was the first line of my Alma matter anthem. It was a song we students (it was a girls-only school) sang with all excitement then, even if we didn’t fully comprehend the meaning. The melody was enough to keep us school girls singing out loud! The brightly, gleaming torch is indeed still being passed on today!
The story is told of ancient Greek runners who competed in a relay race called Lampadedromia. In the race, runners held a burning torch which is passed from one runner to another in a relay race until the final member of the team crossed the finish line. However, the runner who won the race was not the man who crossed the line in the shortest time, but the man who crossed it in the least time with his torch still burning.
Often times, when we newly encounter Christ, we bubble with a force of zeal and love for the Lord. Our commitment to things of God is without limit. Carrying on in that speed is what is expected of a Christian…beginning the race and finishing it is the hallmark of a victorious Christian life. Often times, this is not so. We get weary along the way! God’s desire for us is that we keep pressing on.
In life, we start certain things, make certain commitments but do not see them through. We make resolutions and decisions but we fade out of fulfilling them. As we grow on in life, we become so busy with life’s activities that we are in danger of allowing the torch of our spiritual life to become extinguished. Some of those activities could even look spiritual. It is therefore very important for us as believers to trim our lamps (torches) and keep the fire burning.
While we run the Christian race, we must be mindful to not allow our torches to go off. The fire of our faith must be fuelled in order to keep it burning. Don’t get so carried away by the race of life that you allow your torch to go off.
Like the ancient Greek race, the winner is one who gets to the finishing line with his torch still burning, therefore, aim at the finish line with your touch still burning!
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain” 1 Corinthians 9:24
#Keepthefireon!
#Keepyourtorchburning!
