Unstoppable by Christine CaineSample

It's often said that "Nothing great is built overnight." I learned this personally when Nick and I went to visit the Cologne Cathedral in Europe. Construction on the massive building started in 1248 and didn’t end until 1880. So it is with how Jesus works in our lives and in the Kingdom. Though we can’t see the finish line of what God is doing in us and through us this side of eternity, we can’t abandon the adventure of running our race. It took ten generations to finish building the cathedral, and each generation was willing to sacrifice and toil without seeing the completed work. 

In the same way, we are building something that will last when this earth comes to an end. Let’s run our race with conviction, mindful of the truth. When the time comes, let’s hand off the baton to the next generation and take our seat with the cloud of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews 12:1 and cheer them on. Let’s think about the legacy we will leave behind, and focus on making it one that has the power to inspire generations to come, leaving the Kingdom better than it was before. Let’s be determined to not grow weary in doing good, stop running our race, or drop the baton. 

The enemy doesn’t want us to reach the winner’s circle, but let’s push through and do our part in the glory of what God is accomplishing. Jesus laid down his life in holy sacrifice for us, knowing full well the agony he would have to endure. Still, he surrendered to the will of his Father. For us too to drink from the winner’s cup is to lay down our lives and pour out ourselves in living sacrifice to God. The more we pour ourselves out in living sacrifice, the more God’s love pours into us--oceans of it, overflowing, spilling out onto every life we touch, every baton we carry, every handoff we release. 

When times get hard, when running the race becomes tiring and overwhelming, keep your eyes fixed ahead. You are a pilgrim on a journey to your eternal home, investing your brief time on earth in something far bigger than yourself. Your race extends beyond this passing, temporal world, and into all of eternity. The batons you carry now and faithfully pass on, have an impact that lasts forever. Your faithfulness now matters for what is ahead. Keep running. Keep the faith. There are extraordinary things ahead. 

For more on living life unstoppable, visit www.christinecaine.com/unstoppable 

Adapted from Unstoppable: Step into Your Purpose, Run Your Race, Embrace the Future by Christine Caine. Copyright © 2014 by Christine Caine. Reprinted with permission of Zondervan Publishing. All rights reserved.