More On The High Calling

Philippians 3:12-14:"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

God just keeps dealing with me on these verses. There is so much here one could go on for years if not longer. Previously I wrote that I believe this call to be the original call that God made from the very beginning- that heavenly divine call of mankind to Himself. He made this available through the sacrificial death of His Son Jesus Christ. It IS available to every man, woman and child, though it is up to each individual to accept and receive it and thereby live in it. As 1 Peter 2:9 states: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." We have been called out of the darkness of a world that is lost and dying in sin, destined for an eternity without God.

But something else kept catching my eye and spirit, especially while looking at the photograph of the pine trees that I took while on vacation in Maine last summer. Those tall pines were stretching upwards towards the sky. The tops were green and their branches were reaching upward as if to worship and praise their Creator. I was impressed then that I wanted to be like those trees-reaching forth for the prize of the high calling(upward call) of God in Christ Jesus. I didn't notice until a time later that many of the branches were missing. And the lower ones that were there did not have anything on them. While there in that spot my husband and I commented that possibly there had been a fire in that area. The lower branches had no pine needles on them, no growth. While contemplating about this after dwelling on these verses I thought- how wonderful the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ! What a determination this tree had. Even though it may have gone through some kind of storm, fire or disease, it was still reaching upward. It didn't matter what it had gone through in the past- in the present it was reaching upward to its Creator!

We need to be like these pine trees. It doesn't matter what we have gone through, what storms of life caused scars in our lives-we need-as the verse states-to forget those things which are behind--and reach forward to those things which are ahead-or upward! Many people allow their past to dictate their future. They allow what has happened to them in the past to determine what they are going to be or do in the present and the future. We cannot undo the past. We cannot go back and erase it. We cannot go back and change it. But we must determine to not let it hinder our future-what we are becoming. Our past may be a part of what we are now and what we are going to become- but it must not dictate to us that because such and such has happened that we won't become that person or do that thing that God has destined us for. Our past cannot determine our future- only if we let it. Like those pine trees with withered branches-it did not let that stop them from reaching to the heavens! Many people allow their past to confine them. They are always a victim in their minds. They become a prisoner to their past. But we can't allow that to happen if we want to move on in our lives, move on in God. We must forget-let go-separate from-our past wounds, injuries and failures- and move on in God.

It is interesting to note that when I first looked at this picture, the first thing I noticed was the green branches at the top reaching up to God. That is what really left an impression on me. I didn't notice the lower withered branches until much later. It should be that way in our lives as well. We may not be able to hide our scars- but it doesn't have to be the first thing that everyone sees when they first see us. When we forget those things which are behind and leave them in the hands of God-they don't become the focal point of our lives any longer. True- they may be part of us- it is something we cannot change-but it doesn't have to rule us. I praise God for that freedom! It tells me that no matter what I have gone through, what storms have withered my soul and left scars-they don't determine who I am in God! I have the freedom to choose--to live in my past-to look at my scars all the time, to pick them open constantly so that they never heal--or I can give them to God and move on with my life. What a blessing God has given to us!

I once suffered a lot with depression and loneliness. But God spoke to me many years ago that I could allow that to eat up my life-or I could be like the rose on the rose bush. Though there are thorns on the bush-if allowed-the roses will bloom and be fragrant to those around me. But if I allow the thorns to dominate my life I would be like a bush of thorns, with the roses wilted which would eventually destroy itself and those around me. No one would want to be around me because the first thing they would see or feel were the thorns. He told me to let the roses bloom in my life. I have those words framed and sitting on my desk as a reminder that I can either let the roses bloom in my life or I can allow the thorns to take over. It is my choice. When some hurt or wound from my past tries to pop up and take over-I am reminded that I don't have to let it. I have a choice. I can leave it with God or I can dwell on it, open up the old wound and wallow in my hurt. It is entirely up to me. And just like that pine tree-it is our choice whether we allow those withered branches, those parts of our lives that have been damaged in the storms to control our lives- or we can put them in God's hands and reach up with all that we have and worship our Creator, Lord and Savior! It is up to us.