By A. Trevor Sutton
Three-legged races are horribly wonderful experiences. Two people stand side by side, their adjoining legs tied together. After their four legs have been turned into three, the partners then run—or fall—as fast as possible.
Running a race in unison with someone else is horribly difficult. Communication, coordination, and cooperation are essential to crossing the finish line. If the partners fall out of unison, they will trip up and wipe out. However, when they work together in harmony and focus on the task at hand, it can lots of fun.
Jesus sent his followers out on a sort of three-legged race:
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go (Luke 10:1 ESV).
The disciples went out, two by two, in order to tell the Good News of the Kingdom of God. These disciples had to work together in harmony, focused on the task at hand. While it was not always easy, they were undoubtedly better together than they could have ever been on their own.
God has placed you in a community of believers. Jesus has sent us together. Connected in heart and soul by the Holy Spirit, we now work together and focus on the task at hand. Nothing about this is easy; however, we accomplish more when we are together.
Together, we set our eyes on Jesus:
Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1–2).
Pray: You have joined us together, O God, by your Holy Spirit. Let us run the race of faith in harmony with one another . . .
Editor’s note: Today’s devotion is slightly adapted from Focus: Seeing Jesus Clearly.
