Philippians 3:12-14—Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
There is a phrase that I am becoming weary of hearing among Christians. Three short words that convey a very sad truth—“I used to . . .”
Not long ago I had breakfast with a man who has little time today to serve God. The gist of most of our conversation centered on his past. He wistfully recalled his days in college when he was radically on fire for God. He laced memories with events. In vain I tried to steer the conversation to the present—to ask the question, “Yes, but what is God doing in your life now! What is He calling you to be and do?” But there was no firm path to follow. His way had become overgrown with the clinging vines of “I used to . . .”
Do you find that when you talk about your relationship with God it is the past that comes to mind? Is your value in Christ measured by what you once did? Perhaps I am asking in a kind way, “are you living on spiritual vapors?” We readily would admit we should forget those bad things in our past that only weigh us down. But sometimes we are weighed down by what was good! We let what we did excuse us for what we do not. Don’t let this happen! You and I serve a dynamic incredible Father. Do not let the want ads of this world catch your eyes and steal your zeal to serve Him. Press on toward the goal of becoming Christ-like!
Inspiration
