Day 17
January 19
Philippians 3
Philippians 3:12-14
Paul, in our text, sees himself as a runner in a race, exerting all his strength and pressing on (PURSUING the goal) with intense concentration in order to not fall short of what Christ has set for his life, to KNOW and TRUST Christ in good times and bad (vs. 7-11). I love the determination in verse 13, “But ONE thing I do…”. Paul puts his PURSUIT of the ultimate goal of being with Christ for eternity to the top by doing this, “Forgetting what is behind and straining (PURSUING) what is ahead…” We could learn a lot from that. What do you need to “forget”?
Sometimes we need to forget the bad things that have happened in our lives. Not ‘forget’ in the way of ‘not remembering’, but rather it’s a way of choosing to not walk with that baggage, of laying it down at the feet of Christ. To not carry the ‘badge’ of the hurt or the abuse or the memories of that as your identification, but instead know your identification is IN CHRIST, so you PURSUE HIM and His purpose, His plan for your life.
Sometimes we need to forget the great things that have happened in our lives. Again, not “forgetting” as in not remembering that you have had great things happen, but not getting stuck in the ‘good old days’ of when that blessing happened. God’s mercies are new every morning and if we are stuck in the way He has blessed us in the past, we might miss His blessing for today. PURSUE Him every day.
So, whether it is your highlights that are behind or your lowlights, we need to ‘FORGET’ them. Put the past in the past, and set your heart to PURSUE knowing Christ more and more! Let’s say with Paul, “I press on (I PURSUE) the goal…I want to KNOW Christ!”
What do I need to “forget” today? Is there baggage from my past that I have been carrying? Are there blessings from my past that have prevented me from receiving His blessing today?
Pastor Todd Pope
Paul, in our text, sees himself as a runner in a race, exerting all his strength and pressing on (PURSUING the goal) with intense concentration in order to not fall short of what Christ has set for his life, to KNOW and TRUST Christ in good times and bad (vs. 7-11). I love the determination in verse 13, “But ONE thing I do…”. Paul puts his PURSUIT of the ultimate goal of being with Christ for eternity to the top by doing this, “Forgetting what is behind and straining (PURSUING) what is ahead…” We could learn a lot from that. What do you need to “forget”?
Sometimes we need to forget the bad things that have happened in our lives. Not ‘forget’ in the way of ‘not remembering’, but rather it’s a way of choosing to not walk with that baggage, of laying it down at the feet of Christ. To not carry the ‘badge’ of the hurt or the abuse or the memories of that as your identification, but instead know your identification is IN CHRIST, so you PURSUE HIM and His purpose, His plan for your life.
Sometimes we need to forget the great things that have happened in our lives. Again, not “forgetting” as in not remembering that you have had great things happen, but not getting stuck in the ‘good old days’ of when that blessing happened. God’s mercies are new every morning and if we are stuck in the way He has blessed us in the past, we might miss His blessing for today. PURSUE Him every day.
So, whether it is your highlights that are behind or your lowlights, we need to ‘FORGET’ them. Put the past in the past, and set your heart to PURSUE knowing Christ more and more! Let’s say with Paul, “I press on (I PURSUE) the goal…I want to KNOW Christ!”
What do I need to “forget” today? Is there baggage from my past that I have been carrying? Are there blessings from my past that have prevented me from receiving His blessing today?
Pastor Todd Pope