May 18 | Passing the Baton

Today’s Reading:

Read I Chronicles 28

Have you ever run in a relay race?  One of the most important parts of running in a relay race is the part where one runner passes the baton they have been carrying to the next runner.  If the baton does not get passed the right way, the runners are disqualified and may even lose the race.   

David’s instructions to Solomon about how to build the temple was just like a relay race.  David had been running the race and preparing for the temple to be built.  Now, it was time for David to pass the baton and let Solomon finish the race and build the temple.  David encouraged Solomon by reminding him, “the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary.  Be strong and do it!”  David wanted Solomon to remember that God had chosen him to finish the task and that God would give him what he needed to make it happen.  David also told the Israelite leaders what the plan was so that they knew that they needed to follow Solomon as he worked on building the temple. 

Our reading today shows us the “passing of the baton” in the race David and Solomon were running.  David passed the job of building the temple onto Solomon and gave him all he needed to do it well. 

Application/Prayer:

Practice running a relay in your familyUse your Bible as the batonTalk about how passing the Bible off from person to person is a way we can continue running our race wellRead Hebrews 12:1.

May Memory Verse:

“Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.”


Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:
  1. Bring your Bible!  Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
  2. Each day starts with a reading prompt.  Read the selection as a family.  If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
  3. After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
  4. Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word!  After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
  5. There is a reading for six days of the week.  The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.

Other Resources:

May Memory Verse

May memory verse song

May memory verse coloring sheet

May Fill-in the blank activity

May Prayer Calendar