“But one thing I do: 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.” — Philippians 3:13-14
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Runners in a race typically have a goal in mind, and in order to reach that goal, they must keep looking forward, not backward. Runners never turn their heads backward because they want to keep moving forward. Of course, if runners turn around or look back while running, they will not see where they are going and could run into something, which would be a disaster. They know they will go in the direction their head is facing.
Many of the apostle Paul’s letters to church communities were included in the New Testament of the Bible. One of his letters was written to the church at Philippi while he was in prison in Rome (Philippians 3). In this letter, he expressed his lack of confidence in the flesh as he gave an account of his “accomplishments” before he became a Christian (vv. 3-6).
Paul used a strong word in describing what his past privileged life meant to him after becoming a Christian: He counted all of it as “dung” (Philippians 3:8, KJV) or “garbage.” “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ” (Philippians 3:8-9).
Paul devoted his life to knowing Jesus and His resurrection power, but was also quick to explain that he had not arrived at his goal or reached perfection in that pursuit; he was merely human, just as we are. He made mistakes, struggled with his own pride, yet continued to pursue and take hold of Christ. And this was his wisdom that we should all hold on to and apply to our own journey: “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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
Often in Scripture, Paul uses the analogy of an athlete to show us how to keep the faith and finish the Christian race. Just as runners wouldn’t turn their heads backward in a race, Paul says it’s the same as “forgetting those things which are behind.”
Can you picture yourself as a runner in these verses? According to Paul, we must live the Christian life like a runner — forgetting the past to keep moving forward, toward our goal of the Heavenly prize. Just keep pressing forward.
— S.E. Gregg
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