Pressing On

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Coming to the close of another year, the Lord has impressed on me the verses from Philippines 3:7-14: 
"7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained , either were already perfect : but I follow after , if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

As long as we are looking back we can not go forward. The word "press" in verse 14 means to run swiftly or run after. We must let go of what's past and reach forward to those things ahead of us. It doesn't mean that we forget everything that has happened in the past year or our past, but means to put them in perspective. We can't change anything from even a second ago. If we have made mistakes or have sinned, we must repent, ask for forgiveness and move on. If someone has hurt us, or if some tragedy has taken place that impacted our life, we must put it into the hands of the Lord and move forward towards all that He has for us. We must reach towards that goal-- that mark-- of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. What is that prize for us? At the end of our lives, it will be living in glory with our Lord and Savior. But at the same time, in this day, we can also live in the glory of Christ. We can decide, make a commitment and stick with it that we are going to do all we can do to be transformed into His image. It isn't enough to just talk like a Christian, but we must live like one too. And that comes through our being changed from glory to glory each and every day, each and every moment.

We can't change our past. We can only learn from it and look forward with anticipation to what God is going to do in and through the world THROUGH His church. Press on! Go forward! Make a commitment to be all that you can be in God. There is nothing that can keep us from attaining that goal- the only thing that can stop us is us.

Dear Lord,
As this year is almost finished and new one is at my doorstep, I am making a commitment to You that I will forget what is past and move forward with anticipation to the coming year. Help me as I seek You more and determine to be changed into your image more and more. Help me to let your Light shine through me to those I encounter. May they see Christ in me.
In Your Lovely Name,
Amen

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