Philippians 3.14 I
press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus. – St. Paul
The goal is the prize found in the upward (god-ward,
heaven-ward) call of God in Christ Jesus. The goal is the prize – the prize is
Jesus. We are called to the prize; our goal is the prize; and our calling is Jesus
Himself. And so, despite all that happens to us in life along the way: our
calling is to the goal, which is the prize, which is Jesus Himself.
Whew! What a mouthful!
But it’s true. We do
have a goal in life. We do have meaning and purpose. There is a point to all
the madness swirling around us. Every day we’re alive the goal, is the Goal.
And the prize for the goal isn’t six points on a scoreboard, and the potential
of a point after touchdown; the goal is the Prize: God Himself in the person of
Jesus Christ.
Why is that so important? It’s important because the amount
of time and energy we put into life amounts to very little compared to the goal
for the Prize of the upward call of the Lord. Yes, we can have careers. Yes, we
can amass wealth and to do. But all of that is meaningless in the face of life’s
true pursuit. The vastness of Jesus is far greater than all the wealth of earth,
and more meaningful than the beating of each person’s heart on the planet. The
Prize is Him!
So, Paul, pressed on. He kept the goal in mind because he
understood the vastness of the prize. Think of the complexity of our world.
Think of the intricacies and the sophistication of life. Think of the vastness
of earth and the universe beyond. And God is above and beyond all, and God
calls us to Himself. God is more than
creation and God wants to exchange all He has for all we are. We mean that much
to Him.
That’s worth pressing on for.
Paul said: (With all life is, I only want to be): …found in Him, not having a righteousness of
my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the
righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him
and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being
conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the
dead. (Php. 3.9-11)
God is vastly more than all we can ask or imagine. Earth
is pretty good, but all of earth, and all it is, holds no candle to all He is
in us, for us, and through us. Psalm 8.3-4 muses: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and
the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of
them, human beings that you care for them? God views mankind as worth dying
for that they may know Him forever… and so, God presses on in His relentless pursuit
of all mankind…
Alright Paul, bring it on home! I can’t, I’m too busy
pressing on…
Father in Heaven,
thank You for the goal, for the prize of Your upward call in Christ Jesus; You
reached down so that we could come up in Him. Help me in pressing on today and
for keeping the goal for the Prize first place in all I do and am – it’s the
only time ‘participation trophies’ mean anything! - amen
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