Listen

It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already been perfected, but I pursue it, so that I may grab hold of it because Christ grabbed hold of me for just this purpose. 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. The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14

Think

When a goal feels too overwhelming, sometimes I make a to-do list, and honestly, then I sometimes even get more overwhelmed by all the steps involved! Sometimes, I’ll add something that I’ve already done just so I can scratch it off and feel like I’ve started.

Luckily for all of us, reaching the goal of faithful life in God’s embrace has already been started. God has already made the first move towards us in offering grace. For this, we can throw our metaphoric to-do lists behind us, because there is not a finite end-goal. Instead, we’re offered life eternal in God’s embrace. We’re offered a life of redemption now in reaching towards God, reaching out in God’s love, and through that, reaching new depths of being beloved ourselves.

That reconciling redemptive loving and being loved involves confession, action, forgiving, advocating, and the cost of being called beyond our own comfort to encounter our world with justice, mercy, and love in new ways. It’s purposeful, prayerful, powerful, and providential.

May we look forward to what’s ahead.

Molly Logan

Question to Ponder:

What might I need to leave behind me today to reach forward and be grabbed anew by God’s love?

Pray

Gracious and Loving God, it’s hard sometimes to forget about the things behind me, things I take pride in that I’ve done, and things I feel ashamed that I’ve done or failed to do.

Help me to receive your embrace and reach out towards you in your upward call today.

Amen.

Go

This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight.

Philippians 1:9

There’s so much to learn and enjoy of the depth of God’s love.

Embrace a goal of seeking and serving afresh today.