Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: Daniel 1-3
     New Testament Reading: Philippians 3

Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).

Paul often uses athletic imagery in describing the Christian life. Here the imagery is that of a runner on the course straining every muscle as he runs toward the goal, his hand stretched out to grasp the prize. The winner of the Greek races received a wreath of leaves and sometimes a cash award. The Christian, however, receives an award of everlasting glory.

Paul had reduced the whole of the Christian life to the simple and clear goal of doing one thing – pursuing Christlikeness. My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death (v10).Paul’s ultimate ambition, the consuming passion of his Christian life, was to conform himself to Christ’s glorious image. Paul pursued this goal with all his might, straining every spiritual muscle to win the prize.

The race toward Christlikeness begins with a sense of honesty and dissatisfaction. Even the apostle Paul realized he had not yet reached the Lord’s goal for him. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus (v12). Paul’s judgment about himself should help to humble us and motivate us to acknowledge that we all have a long way to go.

Paul said, but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind (v13). Living in the past and dragging up old memories does no one any good. The past is past, and you cannot change it. We can’t dwell on the past, celebrating spiritual victories or mourning defeats. Paul was not saying to lose all memory of your past, as he had just recited much of his former life’s accomplishments (v4-6). But he had a conscious refusal to let it absorb his attention and impede his progress. To continue to mature in Christlikeness, the Believer must refuse to rely on past deeds and achievements or dwell on past sins and failures. To be distracted by the past hinders one’s efforts in the present.

Paul continued, reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus (v13b-14) Paul found life meaningful because he saw the future with great clarity. There is no other prize; nothing else counts for much except knowing Christ, both now and with clear and certain hope for the future.

Paul’s absolute focus gave him the willingness to let go of his past and center his energies and interests on the course that is ahead of him. Paul so narrowed his focus that he discarded not only the things he once counted as gain, but more than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord (v8). He would lose it all if that allowed him to gain intimacy with Christ. We must press on in our life with the mindset that there is always more to be learned and experienced in Christ.