Press On

Philippians 3:12-14 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. 13 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, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  
 
MANY people love this passage, and I hope you do, too. Why? First, Paul puts his past in the past. Second, it’s good to see Paul’s passionate desire to follow his Lord as far as he can, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” is Paul’s vow to do all he can to follow his risen Lord. Jesus clearly calls His disciples to such a “pressing on” following.
    Consider, for example, Jesus’ simple three-word command, “Come, follow me.” (Matthew 4:19). Note how he engages you to decide: “Are you with me or not?” Imagine Peter, Andrew, James and John standing at their boats looking back to what they had been doing all their lives and committed to do for the rest of their lives. Then they looked ahead to an unknown journey with an unknown rabbi. Yet, they followed. Jesus’ call, the Holy Spirit’s power and the Father’s benevolent care compelled to give up their past, so they could press forward with the Lord God.
    Paul and the other first disciples fully knew Jesus was the Son of Yahweh, who is the great I Am! They followed God to the edge of faith. Doubts and persecutions tried to stop them. But then they always pressed on to more deeply follow Jesus. They truly knew Jesus was the way to life.
    Here, too, we can be reminded of Abraham at the altar, instructed to sacrifice his son Isaac. Consider Moses at the burning bush, Gideon, the Mighty Warrior confronted by the Angel of the Lord and David before Goliath. What happened? God filled them with faith. Then step-by-step they pressed on to fulfill their purpose. None were perfect, none had had fully taken hold of a perfect relationship with God. But they faithfully pressed on into God’s will in the power of the God, who said, “Follow me.”
    This is for you to know and do, too. We might consider ourselves too imperfect to press on toward God’s call on our lives. Yes, that is true. But know God’s power is greater than our weaknesses. He is our ever-present help  in time of need – and time of purpose. Live in faith. Press on.
 
Joy Link: Forward is the only direction to follow Jesus.