SEP 30

Philippians 3:12-14
Memorise Philippians 3:14
“I press toward the mark…”

Christ is the example before us, and our goal is to become more and more like Him. From the time that we are born again till the time that we die, we are on this long race, striving to become more and more Christ- like each day. But when we compare how we are now, and what we ought to be, we know we still have a very long way to go! That was what Paul acknowledged in Philippians 3:12, that he had not yet attained, and was far from perfect. He had not yet apprehended (laid hold of) the goal which Christ had apprehended him for. In simple terms, he knew that with regards to the target of becoming like Christ, he was not there yet.

With that in mind, Paul tells us in verses 13-14 that his purpose was to strive hard each day to press toward the mark. He likens his motivation to be like that of a runner striving towards his end point, fighting to win his prize. Firstly, he runs with this single-minded focus, for it is ‘this one thing I do’. He knows that he has not reached his goals yet, and therefore pushes himself to keep on going. He had one single purpose, and that was all he cared about. The pleasures and luxuries of the world held little attraction to him for he was now in Christ, and all he wanted was to focus on serving Him. Secondly, he was ‘forgetting those things which are behind’. Like a runner who must ‘lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us’ (Hebrews 12:1), he put aside any hindrances of the past that would have held him back. He had counted them as dung, refusing to make excuses for any lack of spiritual progress. Despite his shameful past as a Pharisee who persecuted Christians, and often described himself as a chief of all sinners, he refused to make excuses, but instead pushed even harder to ensure that what remains of his life was not wasted but would be useful to the Lord who saved him. Finally, he was pressing forward, ‘reaching forth unto those things which are before’. He was continually stretching forward towards the direction of the cross of Christ, focused on achieving the goal that Christ has called him to. He was running after the mark – the end point that has been set in front of him.

Like Paul, we know that we are not there yet. As long as God gives us life, we must keep running and never stop!

Thought: I know I am not there yet, and therefore I must keep running.
Prayer: Lord, may you grant me the grace to become more like Christ each day.