Devotion
The Saviour Who Walks at the Speed of Love
By Pastor Leonard Tai
The Unforgiving Race of Life
October is Grand Prix season in Singapore. Widely considered one of the most demanding races on the Formula One calendar, the Singapore Grand Prix sees cars hurtling around its iconic 4.94-kilometre street circuit at speeds exceeding 320 km/h—far beyond anything we encounter on an ordinary day.
There is something captivating about speed. The inaugural Singapore Grand Prix drew around 300,000 spectators over the race weekend, eager to witness the convergence of technological excellence, technical precision, and human endurance. Yet at such extraordinary speeds, the difference between victory and defeat is often measured in fractions of a second. The race is thrilling, but it is also unforgiving.
Life in Singapore is sometimes described in similar terms: a relentless and unforgiving “rat race.” The rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the workplace, often driven by the need to remain competitive, has intensified the pressure many already feel: keep up, or risk being left behind.
The Jesus Who Abides
The Bible invites us into a different way of living: one shaped not by speed, but by abiding presence. No one embodies this way of life more fully than Jesus.
In Luke 24, we read about two disciples travelling to a village called Emmaus. Jesus had been crucified, and they were grieving, bewildered, and trying to make sense of all that had happened. As they walked together, the risen Jesus noticed their anguish and took the initiative to draw near.
While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. (Luke 24:15)
Jesus did not hurry past their pain or dismiss their questions. Instead, he gave them the gift of his unhurried presence. He walked with them, listened to them, and made room for their grief and confusion. He abided with them by making himself available to them and to their emotions. He slowed down to meet them where they were.
Walking at Love’s Speed
The truth is that we often move at a pace that leaves others behind. Driven by efficiency and productivity, we may become impatient with those who cannot keep up—or who simply move at a different pace from us.
But love moves slowly because attentive love takes time. Love does not merely pass by. It lingers. It listens. It seeks to understand. The strength of love lies not in how quickly it moves, but in its willingness to abide.
This is the speed at which Jesus walks: the speed of love. Because he loves us, he meets us at our pace. He does not abandon us when we struggle or fall behind. Instead, he draws near and offers us his unhurried presence.
On the cross, Jesus did more than slow down for us—his life came to a halt. He did more than sympathize with our pain—he bore our sins and guilt in his own body. He gave his life not so that we may receive a new set of wheels and run the same exhausting race unchanged. He offered up his life so as to free us to run a different race.
He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. (1 Peter 2:24)
Jesus calls us into a race marked not by competition, but by love and faithfulness towards one another.
A race marked not by indifference, but by neighbourliness.
A race run at the speed of love.
A race in which we follow in the footsteps of our Saviour and learn to live as he lived.
Reflection
Do you fear being left behind amid the relentless demands for speed, progress, and productivity? Where have you been experiencing anxiety or weariness recently—and how might Jesus be drawing near to you there?
Prayer
Dear God, I am tired of living in fear of being left behind. Teach me to walk at the speed of love.
Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to show me what such a life looks like. Thank you that Jesus offers me his unhurried presence and that he gave his life for me so that I may be free to run a different race–a race shaped by love and lived in his footsteps.
I want to live as Jesus lived. Help me to slow down, to pay attention, and to love others faithfully. Teach me to walk with you and with those you place beside me.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
We are a community that takes Jesus, his love, and his teachings seriously. Together, we are learning to live and walk at the speed of love. It is an ongoing journey—one to which we remain committed.
If you desire to learn how to live as Jesus lived, and if you would value the encouragement of fellow travellers along the way, we warmly invite you to join us. There is a place here for you.