Brother, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 3:13-14
How many of us have things in our past to which we would like to forget to move pass. I know I am one of those people who would love more than anything to forget the past and never talk about it again. Maybe that is why I love these verses so much. Paul was a man of single purpose. He had one aim and one ambition...
forgetting what is behind ~ this would mean not only forgetting his sins and failures (another thing I would like to forget), but it also hints at forgetting his natural privileges, attainments, and successes as well as his spiritual triumphs. See it is easy for us to simply forget our mistakes or at least hide them, but how many of us would be willing to give up our spiritual successes and privileges in order to strain toward what is ahead? In order to reach the what is up ahead and in store for us around the next bend in life we have to forget what is behind us moving only forward straining to get the goodness that God has in store for us in the future.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus ~ looking at himself as a runner in a race Paul describes himself as exerting every effort towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God. Can we say the same? I know there are few things in life that I exert myself for and very rarely is the goal of the upward call of Christ.
Now I know some would ask well what is the goal and prize. In 2 Timothy 4:7 (a verse I pray that someone will read at my own funeral and know that they are speaking the truth) I have fought the good fight I have finished the race I have kept the faith now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness. The goal is the finish line of the race. The goal is to live such a life others want to run behind you to reach for that glory and love they see shining through you. The goal is to live a life so much like Christ people ask you about him everyday.
My goal today and everyday forth is to run that race with the same passion and exertion that Paul demonstrates to us in this verse. To press on to the finish line without looking to the past and allowing it to weigh me down. My prayer for you is the same it is time to forget what is behind and press on towards the goal step by step one foot in front of the other until we reach the finish line.
forgetting what is behind ~ this would mean not only forgetting his sins and failures (another thing I would like to forget), but it also hints at forgetting his natural privileges, attainments, and successes as well as his spiritual triumphs. See it is easy for us to simply forget our mistakes or at least hide them, but how many of us would be willing to give up our spiritual successes and privileges in order to strain toward what is ahead? In order to reach the what is up ahead and in store for us around the next bend in life we have to forget what is behind us moving only forward straining to get the goodness that God has in store for us in the future.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus ~ looking at himself as a runner in a race Paul describes himself as exerting every effort towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God. Can we say the same? I know there are few things in life that I exert myself for and very rarely is the goal of the upward call of Christ.
Now I know some would ask well what is the goal and prize. In 2 Timothy 4:7 (a verse I pray that someone will read at my own funeral and know that they are speaking the truth) I have fought the good fight I have finished the race I have kept the faith now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness. The goal is the finish line of the race. The goal is to live such a life others want to run behind you to reach for that glory and love they see shining through you. The goal is to live a life so much like Christ people ask you about him everyday.
My goal today and everyday forth is to run that race with the same passion and exertion that Paul demonstrates to us in this verse. To press on to the finish line without looking to the past and allowing it to weigh me down. My prayer for you is the same it is time to forget what is behind and press on towards the goal step by step one foot in front of the other until we reach the finish line.
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