Philippians 3:12-16 - Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, 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. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. (Emphasis added)
When Paul writes Philippians he is in prison and nearing the end of his life on earth. Given everything that Paul has been through, the sacrifices he has made, the suffering he has endured in following and teaching about Jesus...he is still humble and confesses that he has not already obtained the prize or been made perfect. If there is anybody at a point in their life that might look back and say..."look what I have done, I deserve what Jesus has for me"...it's Paul. But he doesn't and he knows his journey is not over yet.
"but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." - For me this is an amazing statement. First given all that Paul has done that he has to continue to press on, second because he reminds us that Jesus took hold of us...he choose us. We often talk about the day we accepted Jesus into our lives and it is a day for celebration. But what's more amazing is that Jesus choose us.
"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." - When I read "forgetting what is behind" two things come to mind. First, to forget what is behind requires forgiveness; until we can truly forgive we cannot forget. Second, we can't rest on what we have done in our past. We can't set back and think our past accomplishments are enough or sufficient. We are better off forgetting those and focusing on what is ahead...focusing on Jesus and not on our works.
Our lives and our walk with Jesus is a journey. A journey that is not easy, a journey that is hard, tough and full of suffering. But it's a journey with an amazing prize at the end. A journey worth taking. Let's continue to press on toward the goal together just as Paul continued to press on until the very end.
When Paul writes Philippians he is in prison and nearing the end of his life on earth. Given everything that Paul has been through, the sacrifices he has made, the suffering he has endured in following and teaching about Jesus...he is still humble and confesses that he has not already obtained the prize or been made perfect. If there is anybody at a point in their life that might look back and say..."look what I have done, I deserve what Jesus has for me"...it's Paul. But he doesn't and he knows his journey is not over yet.
"but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." - For me this is an amazing statement. First given all that Paul has done that he has to continue to press on, second because he reminds us that Jesus took hold of us...he choose us. We often talk about the day we accepted Jesus into our lives and it is a day for celebration. But what's more amazing is that Jesus choose us.
"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." - When I read "forgetting what is behind" two things come to mind. First, to forget what is behind requires forgiveness; until we can truly forgive we cannot forget. Second, we can't rest on what we have done in our past. We can't set back and think our past accomplishments are enough or sufficient. We are better off forgetting those and focusing on what is ahead...focusing on Jesus and not on our works.
Our lives and our walk with Jesus is a journey. A journey that is not easy, a journey that is hard, tough and full of suffering. But it's a journey with an amazing prize at the end. A journey worth taking. Let's continue to press on toward the goal together just as Paul continued to press on until the very end.
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