Listen

Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14

Think

This is a popular passage which often brings about images of running a race. We envision people running on a track, pushing their bodies to the limit, and striving to reach the finish line first. In many ways, those are accurate images for life—we journey forward, sometimes there are hurdles, and there are definitely others traveling with us.

The race with Jesus that Paul is describing is different. Our perspective takes a sudden shift when we recognize the race with Jesus is not a competition at all.

The Christian journey isn’t about our abilities or the abilities of the person next to us. The Christian journey isn’t about winning and holding the trophy above our heads in triumph. The Christian journey isn’t about leaving others behind to finish on their own.

In the Christian journey, the goal is always beyond, and it is calling us forward. We are not competing. Instead, we are working towards a call from God together. We’re running as one towards the finish line.

Chris Cherry

 

Pray

Coach of Journeyers, give me the endurance I need to run the race. Give me the strength I need to help others. Give me the humility to also accept help. Guide me towards the goal. Amen.

Go

It’s easy to only think about things from our one, limited perspective. Jesus pushes us to see differently.

Allow yourself to be challenged. Allow your eyes to be opened. Allow your life to be changed.

Go now, and let the value of knowing Jesus change the lens through which you see the world.