Week 16 - Press Toward the Sky (Phil. 3:12-21)
There is a difference between being grateful for how far we have come and becoming satisfied with where we are. We can celebrate yesterday’s victories while neglecting today’s obedience. We can also become so occupied with yesterday’s failures that we stop reaching for what lies ahead. Paul offers another way. He has encountered the risen Christ, endured suffering, and served faithfully, yet he openly acknowledges that he has not arrived. His life remains directed toward knowing Christ and sharing fully in His resurrection life. Earlier in Philippians 3, Paul lists the credentials he once considered reasons for confidence. Now he counts them as loss compared with knowing Christ. His past accomplishments cannot provide the righteousness or fullness of life he finds in Jesus. That is the setting for his call to press on. The Christian life is a continuing pursuit of Christ, grounded in His grace and directed toward His promised future. Christ Has Taken Hold of Us Philippians 3:12 “...