¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 3:12-14

Dear God, so this is ironic. Yesterday’s verse of the day was Hebrews 12:1,

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

That was the theme for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in 1986, the first year I went to the national conference in Estes Park. Today’s verse, Philippians 3:14, was the verse the next year in 1987. The real irony is that I am traveling today to see my best friend from high school who got involved in FCA with me our senior year. We both had shirts that had these verses on them.

What does this mean? Holy Spirit, are you trying to prepare me for something on this trip and visit with him? I don’t know, but the coincidences are remarkable.

But let me go back to this passage. I was having dinner with a couple of friends last night and we were talking about where to draw the line when deciding whether or not to confront someone else about sin in their lives. When it comes down to it, the Holy Spirit and I are working out my sin. Someone else is working out their sin with the Holy Spirit as long as they are working towards discipleship. I’m more interested in helping someone learn how to walk the narrow path of discipleship and then confront or work out their sin as you present it to them than I am just going around and telling people they are wrong.

I was thinking about the “press on” part of this verse this morning as I worked out. I did a virtual bicycle climb that took almost two and a half hours. There were times I thought about quitting. Then I thought of this verse and the metaphor for “pressing on.” I am on vacation this week, taking a break from my normal responsibilities. But when I get back next week, I need to press on.

Father, help me to forget what is behind and look forward to what lies ahead (verse 13). Help me to press on to finish the race you have called me to. It’s not necessarily an amazing race with amazing glory. It might just be a common life among the 7-ish billion people on earth. But if it could just be useful to you and your plan in some little unseen way that I might not even realize then I can live with that. “Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee.”

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen