Installment #1 Body and Soul series
Pressing toward the goal/ press on
The other night I was doing something I usually spend very little time doing…I was watching the news on television. The particular news spot I was watching was talking about a sporting event that is to take place next year I think it said in Beijing, China. Remember it used to be called Peking. The only remembrance of that name now is a Chinese dish called Peking duck. I love Chinese food, but I can’t recall ever eating Peking duck but I’ll bet it’s good.
Back to Beijing…the sporting event, remember? The sporting event, by the way happens to be the biggest sporting event that occurs every four years in our world and they call it the Olympics. Ever heard of it? I can almost imagine someone saying “where is this guy from? Is he with it or not?” All jesting aside…the news story centered around the fact of the horrific amount of pollution (pardon me, it’s greenhouse gases now…much cleaner wording, politically correct as well). Yes it seems that there is so much greenhouse gas, oh what the heck, I’m going to call it pollution…there is so much pollution that one can hardly breathe just doing nothing let alone participate in a sport and especially at the intense level of exertion that these fine athletes perform. In fact there is 1600 percent more pollution produced in Beijing than there is in our nice clean Canadian city of Toronto. I’m glad that I live in Canada and there are laws regarding air quality, even though there may still be room for improvement.
In the third chapter of Philippians, Paul writes about pressing toward the goal for the prize. Let me refer you to some verses that he wrote in a letter to the church at Philippi: verses 12-16
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected, but I press on” ,..let me stop right there for reflection. He has been talking about the Christian walk and how he as a man had all of the supposedly right qualifications religiously speaking but that he counted them a rubbish when he compared them to his position in Christ. He said in verses 8 & 9, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is from God by faith” He says, “I haven’t already attained yet and I’m not perfect either, but….but I press on” and in verse thirteen he says that in order to accomplish that feat, like an Olympic runner would do..”I’ve got to forget those things that are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead.” Why Paul? And the answer resounds back through the ages :I press toward the goal…the prize…the upward call…the call of God …in Christ Jesus. Oh! Friends, don’t miss it! Do not miss the upward call by being caught up in the pollution of this world! Forget what has happened in the past…forget what’s behind you. An Olympic runner never, never, never looks back to see what’s behind him or who is behind him…he knows if he does that he will lose momentum and lose the race. They will run this race…if time lasts and I am thinking that whether or not China cleans up her air quality that they will still run in it. Because some or most have been preparing for it all or most of their lives and they do it to receive a prize…a gold medal. Silver and bronze won’t do these athletes. It has to be gold! He said in verse 20, “our citizenship is in heaven”…I ask you what greater prize than to have our citizenship in heaven? Paul says, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Are you waiting eagerly? Are you waiting with excitement, anticipating a great trumpet blast, so loud that it will wake the dead? Hallelujah!
Pressing toward the goal/ press on
The other night I was doing something I usually spend very little time doing…I was watching the news on television. The particular news spot I was watching was talking about a sporting event that is to take place next year I think it said in Beijing, China. Remember it used to be called Peking. The only remembrance of that name now is a Chinese dish called Peking duck. I love Chinese food, but I can’t recall ever eating Peking duck but I’ll bet it’s good.
Back to Beijing…the sporting event, remember? The sporting event, by the way happens to be the biggest sporting event that occurs every four years in our world and they call it the Olympics. Ever heard of it? I can almost imagine someone saying “where is this guy from? Is he with it or not?” All jesting aside…the news story centered around the fact of the horrific amount of pollution (pardon me, it’s greenhouse gases now…much cleaner wording, politically correct as well). Yes it seems that there is so much greenhouse gas, oh what the heck, I’m going to call it pollution…there is so much pollution that one can hardly breathe just doing nothing let alone participate in a sport and especially at the intense level of exertion that these fine athletes perform. In fact there is 1600 percent more pollution produced in Beijing than there is in our nice clean Canadian city of Toronto. I’m glad that I live in Canada and there are laws regarding air quality, even though there may still be room for improvement.
In the third chapter of Philippians, Paul writes about pressing toward the goal for the prize. Let me refer you to some verses that he wrote in a letter to the church at Philippi: verses 12-16
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected, but I press on” ,..let me stop right there for reflection. He has been talking about the Christian walk and how he as a man had all of the supposedly right qualifications religiously speaking but that he counted them a rubbish when he compared them to his position in Christ. He said in verses 8 & 9, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is from God by faith” He says, “I haven’t already attained yet and I’m not perfect either, but….but I press on” and in verse thirteen he says that in order to accomplish that feat, like an Olympic runner would do..”I’ve got to forget those things that are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead.” Why Paul? And the answer resounds back through the ages :I press toward the goal…the prize…the upward call…the call of God …in Christ Jesus. Oh! Friends, don’t miss it! Do not miss the upward call by being caught up in the pollution of this world! Forget what has happened in the past…forget what’s behind you. An Olympic runner never, never, never looks back to see what’s behind him or who is behind him…he knows if he does that he will lose momentum and lose the race. They will run this race…if time lasts and I am thinking that whether or not China cleans up her air quality that they will still run in it. Because some or most have been preparing for it all or most of their lives and they do it to receive a prize…a gold medal. Silver and bronze won’t do these athletes. It has to be gold! He said in verse 20, “our citizenship is in heaven”…I ask you what greater prize than to have our citizenship in heaven? Paul says, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Are you waiting eagerly? Are you waiting with excitement, anticipating a great trumpet blast, so loud that it will wake the dead? Hallelujah!
posted by Randall | 7:14 a.m.
3 Comments:
This may be a little off the subject, but what you have said about the 'prize' has reminded me of a book that I am reading. Its called '23 Minutes In Hell'. When I think of what this man experienced, I know without a doubt that I dont want to go there. I love the heat, but not that much. I have been dwelling on the past, but in reality, that does absolutely no good. I am looking ahead for what God can give me....eternal life, love, happiness, joy, peace. When you really sit and think about it, what else is more exciting and important than that? This man in the book describes hell as being dark, lonely, evil, torment, thirsty......it was just terrible. You will never hear hell described like this man described it. Getting the 'prize' is definitely my goal!!
Unfortunately,even gold isn't enough for some of us,we have the gold,but want more,but there is no more,but instead of fighting to keep what we have,we will chance loosing it all.What you said about looking back to see where you are,if you are focusing on the race ,and really want to win,and keep what you win,than never look back,aways forward,at your gold,CHRIST JESUS,and as polluted as China is,never forget that there is nothing more polluted than a man's heart,you can fight the pollution and get a clean heart with Jesus,settle for nothing less,EVER.
Coffee
When I think of Paul I think of what a great man of God he was.Yet Paul himself did not. If Paul had to press on how much more do we have to.
Remember Paul went from persecuting the saints of God to leading them.If Paul's past both the the good or bad did not stop him from looking forward to the prize,we must do the same and keep our eyes on Jesus so we too will get our prize in heaven.
Thanks for reminding me of this.
C.M.
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