Pressin' On

"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended [laid hold of it]; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13 & 14, NKJV)

In these verses, Paul refers to accomplishments in his life that he could have easily held onto as things to boast about. In short (as he describes in the section preceding this one), he did a very good job at being "righteous" according to the standards of the law. In other words, he had been a very good religious boy. Having since been confronted by Jesus Himself, who challenged Paul to abandon that former lifestyle, he goes as far as to say that what many would consider great accolades, he now considers rubbish. (Think of the smelly, decaying food scraps in the garbage that really should have been taken out the day before.)

I have been thinking about these verses for some days now. God has been stirring my heart and also my mind--to think about how they apply to me in this season of life. I sense God's call to leave the former things behind because God is doing a new thing. Without a doubt, some of what Paul chose to leave behind was good stuff. In the same way, I know God is urging me forward. I'm feeling nudged by Him, and I'm ok with that. I want to stretch, strain and press in--like a child trying to squeeze through the unforgiving opening between two chain-linked gates. It's not always comfortable, for sure. But on one side is complacency and on the other is more promised land.

This summer it's simple to see: I had an amazing experience at VBS (I tell some of that story in the previous post). And while I feel naturally inclined to reach back in an attempt to hold onto that great week, I know that God is saying, "Check this out: as good as that was, I've got equally great things ahead. Don't look back with longing, but with celebration; don't think it's anything you did, but give the glory to Me; after all, it was My grace that saved the day...and I want to do that for you again and again. Trust Me, and keep pressing on!."

I'm eager to keep straining my eyes to see and turning my ear hear the new things God is up to. And as much as it makes a bit nervous, I'm continuing to pray for HIS grace so I can again experience His hand at work.