Running Back to Jesus

Philippians 3:13-14 ESV

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Paul gives great advice in this passage, forget what is over and done, we cannot change those things, but we can set our eyes on what matters today and in the future. Paul says forgetting what is past and straining forward to what lies ahead. This straining is a pressing forward with intense effort, like a runner stretching to reach a finish line. This symbolizes our focus and energy to pursue Christ and His purpose for our lives. Everything that we gain in this life matters because we gain wisdom, knowledge and understanding. We see how to apply the best that we can by life’s experiences. Those things matter but what our greatest achievement is to follow Jesus and working for the Kingdom of God. We press into Jesus and He brings meaning to our lives through our life’s experiences.

Prayer:

Lord, we press on. We may not forget the past, but we can let go of the past and forgive others and forgive ourselves. We cannot change the past, but we can make a brand-new future, we just have to put You first in our lives, in our family, and in our careers. We press on to follow hard after You. We seek Your perfect will for our lives, and we cannot wait to see what You have for us in the future. In Your name Lord Jesus, give us a heart to pursue hard after You, Amen!