I apologize for the late post. This is the first time I've been able to sit down in my dorm all day.
How humbling to see and think of how God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.
I feel we all meditate. Whether it be on our concerns, happy memories, on a certain person, there are time when our minds are on a constant loop. Paul is telling us in this passage to channel these lingerings of our minds to really take a different view on life as we look to God in order to attain what it is God has set aside for us. Forgetting what is behind is going to be a lifelong struggle, we all know that including Paul which is why he admits his own shortcomings in his encouragement to strain forward. The important part is that we are straining forward and moving toward a prize, the wonderful heavenly prize that God has set aside in Christ Jesus. I've been feeling very trapped lately and not really knowing where to turn and this is what I myself need to do.
We are "living up to what we have already attained." There should be no pressure of making a mistake or living in perpetual worry and headache because God has already set aside everything for us. The alpha and the omega is there for us guiding the way. All we have to do is strain forward. We are living in such freedom and we don't even realize it half the time. Let us all stretch forward toward Christ this week and be freed from the chains from behind.
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2 comments:
thanks for your reflection, miriam. what an important spiritual principle paul lays out for us today!: "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, i press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus".
so many of us are much too caught up with the past: past griefs, past failures, past successes, even past moments when we have been "spiritually" strong. we long for the past when life seemed easier and less complicated, often not pursuing what we need to do now with the energy and effort that we ought.
paul exhorts us to leave the past behind--successes or failures, griefs or joys. we are instead to strain and press on toward that which is so much more precious--and for which Jesus gave His own life. God has "called us heavenward" and we must follow Him with all our might. those who are "mature should take such a view of things".
paul also urges us in the same spirit to "live up to what we have already attained". we are not to regress, backslide, or go back to our complacent, indifferent ways. i thank God for this precious book of philippians and pray that we might all "live up to what we have already attained".
Thanks Miriam.
Sorry, I'm having problems posting on the right passage.
To press on forward...this passage is very powerful in itself. Paul seems to be encouraging to never give up but he's also pushing us to strive harder because the end is worth all the strife and suffering we endure to get there. The question is are we willing to strive forward like we're called to or are we too content with our surroundings or just too lazy to this.
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