When the word torch comes to mind, what do YOU think of?
With the summer Olympic games starting this Friday night, July 26th, most of us would normally think about the beautiful tradition of passing the Olympic torch from Greece, where the Olympics originally began in 1896, to wherever the games are held in that quadrennial. This year, the first torch for the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay was lit by the sun’s rays on April 16th during a ceremony in the sanctuary of Olympia, Greece, where the ancient Olympics were once held. The Olympic flame then went to Athens, on a boat across the Mediterranean Sea to Marseille, and from there, it will be carried by about 10,000 different people who were chosen to carry the flame across France to the opening ceremonies. NBC will cover the opening ceremonies at 1 PM this Friday.
This week, however, the expression “passing the torch” has another meaning with the news of President Biden ending his reelection campaign to focus on running the government through the end of his term. I am fully aware that 50% of our country dislikes President Biden and 50% of our country dislikes former President Trump, but these two men have sacrificed a great deal to serve their country, and I have tremendous empathy for what they have been through. I also have been very tuned into the expression “passing the torch” that we have been hearing after 39-year-old J.D. Vance was chosen as Trump’s Vice President, and 59-year-old Kamala Harris has just been endorsed by Biden to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
Passing the torch … we all know what it means, but TheIdioms.com says: “Relinquish responsibilities, a tradition, practice, or knowledge to another. For example, ‘When the company’s founder became too ill to continue, he passed the torch to his nephew.’ This metaphoric expression alludes to the ancient Greek torch race, in which a lighted torch was passed from one runner to the next. A translation from both Greek and Latin, the English version dates from the late 1800s.”
The Olympic committee reports: “The Olympic flame symbolizes the light of spirit, knowledge, and life. The passing of the flame from one person to another in stages (the Torch Relay), symbolizes the handing down of this figurative fire from generation to generation.” From generation to generation in our country, Presidents have also passed the torch to new generations, and all of this reminds me of the generations and generations of CHRISTIANS who have passed the torch to new believers for more than 2024 years!
I think the Apostle Paul had this idea in mind when he encouraged his young protégé Timothy: “For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6). I love the imagery this passage conveys: it speaks of imparting spiritual knowledge, and passion … it shows a leader in one generation cheering on a torchbearer in the next generation. Matthew says it this way:
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16, the Message
The call to be a torchbearer is an important call that every Christ follower because we are ALL His torchbearers! How do we do this? We act as “God-colors” in the world by being people of hope, love and grace … we shine the Light of Christ everywhere we can … we have an “open house”, a Church open to all people … and we are generous with our lives!
If you weren’t in church on Sunday, you may not have heard the announcement I made about Heather … I said it is bittersweet news, bitter for us, but sweet for Heather because she got a great new job at a Rehab Clinic in Mineola and will be starting full-time work there on August 12. In her new job, she will be making more money AND getting benefits, and since this is what she did before working in a UMC church in Melissa and with us, she’s excited to get back into the healthcare business where she will only work Monday-Friday, 9-5. Heather and I work really well together, and I will miss her tremendously because she’s been an incredible asset to our church, but THANKFULLY, Heather is going to stay with us part-time to do what she was originally hired to do finances.
BE A TORCHBEARER FOR SOMEONE THIS WEEK!
Pastor Debbie