13 Brothers and sisters, I myself don’t think I’ve reached it, but I do this one thing: I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me. 14 The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.
Reflection
Did you set a New Year’s resolution or goal for yourself? How is it going? Have you had a set back? Are you still on track? No matter where you find yourself, the good news is that today is a new day and God is calling you to forget about mistakes made yesterday and look forward.
The scripture for today comes from the Apostle Paul’s letter the Philippians. Paul wrote this letter while he was being held as a prisoner. However, despite the mistakes he made in the past and his current circumstances, Paul expresses a great deal of joy and hope for the future throughout this letter.
Before his encounter with the resurrected Christ, Paul was a prominent Jewish leader. Paul strictly lived by the principles and standards of the Jewish law. He would have been seen as a righteous and blameless man among other Jewish people. He was also zealous Jewish Pharisee, who relentlessly persecuted Christians. It is believed that Paul took part in the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. However, Paul was so changed by his encounter with Jesus, that it then became his life’s work to spread the good news that God’s love and grace is available to all people, both Jew and Gentile, through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul knew the importance of forgetting about mistakes from the past and looking forward to where is God is calling us.
So, whether you are struggling with keeping on track for a New Year’s resolution or goal, or you have been beating yourself up about mistakes you made many years ago, know that God does not hold past mistakes against you. God is calling you to receive the grace and peace we are all offered through the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Accept this grace and peace today, and practice Paul’s words and “forget about the things behind us and reach out for the thing ahead of us. The goal we are to purse is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.” Thanks be to God.
by Manny Estevez
For Pondering and Prayer
Did you set a New Year’s resolution or goal for yourself but have gotten off track? Realize that every day is a new opportunity to try again.
Are there mistakes or regrets from your past that are holding you back? Bring them to God in prayer and know that God does not hold them against you. God wants you to look forward.
Prayer: God of all grace and peace, thank you for your endless patience and mercy. We ask for your help in forgetting about our past mistakes, so that they do not hold us back. May we know that through faith in Jesus Christ, you will continually offer us grace and peace every day, and you are calling us to look forward to the real goal we are to pursue, the prize of your upward call in Christ Jesus. Amen.
