Running the Race

Philippians 3-Part 4
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching foth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.      Philippians 3:13-14


LET IT GLOW

When Paul repeats the same words, I take notice. I wonder what  he is emphasizing. In verses 11 and 12, Paul mentions the words attain, attained, apprehend, and apprehended. You know I had to look them up for their meanings. smile

"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead; Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; about I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." (3:11-12)

Attain means to gain, achieve, or accomplish, to reach by efforts; to reach in excellence or degree. (KJ Dictionary)
Attained means to get possession of, obtain a thing. (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament)
Apprehend means to lay hold of so as to make one's own, to obtain, attain to; in a good sense, of Christ by His holy power and influence laying hold of the humand mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it.
(Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament)
Apprehended means taken, seized, arrested, conceived, understood, feared. (KJ Dictionary)

Paul's goal or focus, is before him, not behind him, the finish line-his resurrection. He's not sure how it will come about, his death that is, but that is what leads to the resurrection. We know the end for him was a martyr's death in Rome later. I may not know the details of my death, but I am  trusting Jesus for the resurrection. (John 11:25-26)
Paul's saying that he has not obtained perfection in his Christlikeness, progress, but not perfection. Where does that leave me? At the starting line.

NLT says in verses 12b-13  "But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sister, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."

Did you catch that phrase "forgetting the past?"  Are you like me, in that it is often hard to let go of the  past?
My mind tends to dwell there, not forgetting what someone said to me, ususally criticism, or what some hurtful thing they did to me? I think it's called forgiveness. Forgive and forget don't seem to go together, but they do. Someone once said that forgiveness is treating anyother as if it never happened. Good definition.
Forget it; it's not important now. Live in the present. (I'm talking to myself, friend.) Why waste time there in the past when there is life to live now?


LET IT GROW

I remember when I was in junior high school and  with a group of girls who went to a track meet at a local university. We had never done this before, but we had trained somewhat. It was an exciting new experience for us. Short me was a part of the relay team, where three people pass a baton to a teammate, running along side the other teams and around the track. I ran as fast as I could, keeping my eye on the girl in front of me to which I passed on the baton.

Shepherd's Notes tells us:

In the Greek races, the winner's prize, the laurel wreath of the victor, was often placed at the finish line as an added incentive to the contestants. The content of Paul's goal revolved around his repetitive use of the ver "press on" (verses 12, 140. Paul attaches two activities for attaining his goal.  "Forgetting what is behind." For him, every day was a new adventure. "Straining toward what is ahead." This is bringing to mind the straining muscles, clear focus, and complete dedication of the runner to his race to the prize. Both mental and physical discipline were necessary.

In verse 14, Paul was constantly bearing down upon the goal. He found no time to relax. He found someone worth living for. Everything else was a waste of time and energy. He had the high calling on him, an upward calling from heaven, from God. Paul was in hot pursuit of Christlikeness. (Liberty Bible Commentary)

I want to cross the finish line with Christ running beside me in my race of life. Heaven is my finish line and a crown of life is my prize. How about you? As I have said before, let's keep on keepin' on. Stay faithful to our Savior.
By the way, we came in fourth in the relay. Each of us got a ribbon. The rest of the story is, there were only 4 teams entered. (You can laugh, I do.)


LET IT GO

Lay aside the excess baggage, like unforgiveness, hurt feelings.

Put on the whole armor of God and eat of the fruit of the Spirit.

Press on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Press on.

Stay focused on Christ, not the past.

Go for it, girl.

Keep going; keep running in the race of the Christian life; you'll make it through to the end. The Savior is waiting and watching us. Press on.