# 52 2016 Dev. Php. 3:13-14. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God by memorizing selected passages of Scripture. Further, to view the passage in context and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living with family, friends and others. All passages are taken from the NIV.
Philippians 3:13-14
13” Brothers and sisters, 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.”
At this time of the year we need to reboot, the year ends and the New Year is upon us. Many are the New Year resolutions that people find helpful to refocus their lives. As good as that may be they fall short of what Paul is teaching followers of Jesus to think about at the New Year and whenever we need to refocus.
Paul is under house arrest in Rome and writes a thank you letter to the church in Philippi for their “partnership in the Gospel” and his letter is meant to encourage them. Paul prays that they may abound in love, in knowledge, in purity and discernment “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Php. 1:9-11).
In Ch. 3 Paul is speaking about circumcision and other Mosaic laws that some people wanted to impose on Gentile Christians. The attitudes (works) that Paul is praying about in Ch. 1 as good as these are is no benefit except for faith in Jesus. Paul is also talking about eternal life, residing with Jesus in heaven, that is guaranteed but he had not yet achieved it. Therefore, whatever accomplishments good or bad that is part of his life he now puts all behind him, they do not count instead he looks ahead, straining in faith to attain to what God had called him. Paul qualifies it by telling us that his and our calling is heavenward in Christ Jesus.
This year go deep, start over with Jesus! Make lots of resolutions but most of all leave last year behind, all the good and the bad and strain forward in faith to reach for what God has called us: To commit to Him in all we attain and hope to attain, to trust Jesus for a better and more productive year, by His standards, “to the glory and praise of God.” Look forward to the great things God has called us to experience in His Grace, Amen!
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