Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
This is one of the most quoted scriptures, in all of the Bible. The apostle Paul lets the reader know that he is not master of all of the things that Christians should master, but that he does do one thing. Paul is very clear that while he is not the perfect person and a super Christian that he forgets those things behind and reaches toward those things which or before him. He keeps pursuing and pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling, which is in Christ Jesus. We as Christians have to have the same attitude and put forth this very same effort. Too often we find ourselves trying to be so super spiritual and such a super Christian person that we cannot even acknowledge that we don't get it right all of the time. And then when we don't get it right all the time we often times just quit pursuing the prize. But we must be as deliberate as Paul was in this particular scripture, forgetting the things that are behind us while pressing and reaching toward the things which are before. It ought to be a part of our daily walk that we forget, reach and pursue. If we would forget the things that are behind us and not wallow in the past, but reach toward the future we would find that our walk with God, would be much more productive. No, I am not saying that we are not to learn from and repent of previous errors, mistakes or times when we were outside the will of God. What I am saying is that we must not wallow in them. Once we have sought God for forgiveness us for our wrongdoing, we must then be very deliberate and intentional about reaching forth unto those things which are before us. Paul says, “but one thing I do” which lets us know that forgetting and reaching are two that have become one. In other words, in order for us to reach and do it successfully we must relinquish those things which are behind so that we will have a free hand to reach for the things which are before. Too often, we are trying to hold on to the past, which hinders us from reaching forward to the things that God has before us. Or the most common mistake is we try to hold on to the past with one hand and reach with the other hand, but God is after those who will fully and completely pursue him with both hands, both feet, both eyes, both ears, their mouth and their whole being. The prize that is Christ Jesus requires that we are in constant pursuit of Him and His righteousness at all times with all of our being. Also this prize is the high calling of God, which is in Christ Jesus. It is a high calling which means that it is at a greater level than what we've experienced in the past therefore we must forget those things which are behind and be in pursuit of higher and deeper levels in God. Our focus each and every day should be very simple: that we are after the high calling that is in Christ Jesus. In other words, every day that we live God's desire should be our desire and that is to take us to a higher place in Him and fulfill a higher work in Him than we did the day before. Yesterday, and even yesteryear might not have been the best but today is a brand-new day in Him and a day that we are to keep our eyes, our focus and our pursuit on the prize of the high calling that is in Christ Jesus. This call requires a greater level of love, a greater level of forgiveness, and greater level of righteousness and a greater level of imitating, who Jesus is in our lives. No person who falls down and stays down can win any race. When we fall down we must get up and forget about what happened and continue to pursue the prize that comes upon completion of the race. God is truly a forgiving and loving God, and even when we make mistakes, commit sin or operate outside of His will, He will clean us up when we seek his forgiveness. God will then put us right back in the race and pursuit of a greater and deeper level in Him, which is the ultimate prize for every human and God wants us all to obtain it.
Every day that God gives us is a new day to forget, reach and pursuer a higher place and call in Him. Ask yourself each day, “What am I going to do today to get to a higher place in God?”
This is one of the most quoted scriptures, in all of the Bible. The apostle Paul lets the reader know that he is not master of all of the things that Christians should master, but that he does do one thing. Paul is very clear that while he is not the perfect person and a super Christian that he forgets those things behind and reaches toward those things which or before him. He keeps pursuing and pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling, which is in Christ Jesus. We as Christians have to have the same attitude and put forth this very same effort. Too often we find ourselves trying to be so super spiritual and such a super Christian person that we cannot even acknowledge that we don't get it right all of the time. And then when we don't get it right all the time we often times just quit pursuing the prize. But we must be as deliberate as Paul was in this particular scripture, forgetting the things that are behind us while pressing and reaching toward the things which are before. It ought to be a part of our daily walk that we forget, reach and pursue. If we would forget the things that are behind us and not wallow in the past, but reach toward the future we would find that our walk with God, would be much more productive. No, I am not saying that we are not to learn from and repent of previous errors, mistakes or times when we were outside the will of God. What I am saying is that we must not wallow in them. Once we have sought God for forgiveness us for our wrongdoing, we must then be very deliberate and intentional about reaching forth unto those things which are before us. Paul says, “but one thing I do” which lets us know that forgetting and reaching are two that have become one. In other words, in order for us to reach and do it successfully we must relinquish those things which are behind so that we will have a free hand to reach for the things which are before. Too often, we are trying to hold on to the past, which hinders us from reaching forward to the things that God has before us. Or the most common mistake is we try to hold on to the past with one hand and reach with the other hand, but God is after those who will fully and completely pursue him with both hands, both feet, both eyes, both ears, their mouth and their whole being. The prize that is Christ Jesus requires that we are in constant pursuit of Him and His righteousness at all times with all of our being. Also this prize is the high calling of God, which is in Christ Jesus. It is a high calling which means that it is at a greater level than what we've experienced in the past therefore we must forget those things which are behind and be in pursuit of higher and deeper levels in God. Our focus each and every day should be very simple: that we are after the high calling that is in Christ Jesus. In other words, every day that we live God's desire should be our desire and that is to take us to a higher place in Him and fulfill a higher work in Him than we did the day before. Yesterday, and even yesteryear might not have been the best but today is a brand-new day in Him and a day that we are to keep our eyes, our focus and our pursuit on the prize of the high calling that is in Christ Jesus. This call requires a greater level of love, a greater level of forgiveness, and greater level of righteousness and a greater level of imitating, who Jesus is in our lives. No person who falls down and stays down can win any race. When we fall down we must get up and forget about what happened and continue to pursue the prize that comes upon completion of the race. God is truly a forgiving and loving God, and even when we make mistakes, commit sin or operate outside of His will, He will clean us up when we seek his forgiveness. God will then put us right back in the race and pursuit of a greater and deeper level in Him, which is the ultimate prize for every human and God wants us all to obtain it.