Jan 11 – New Race!

“one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

When you become a new creation in Christ, you get a new race for yourselves, new path for that race, and also a new goal for that path. Therefore, you should forget those things that are behind you and run in the new direction and reach forward to those things which are ahead.

People with worldly perspective run in order to obtain worldly crowns that are perishable. In the acclaimed Greek Race, the winner is celebrated and honoured with a crown made of beautiful flowers and leaves. But you are running the race in order to obtain eternal crown. At the end of your race, the Lord will present you with the crown of righteousness, a crown of glory that is imperishable and everlasting.

There are many saints who have run the race ahead of us in the race assigned for them. Even today we are surrounded by those saints who have finished their race victoriously, as a cloud of witnesses. But how should you run this race? There are actually two parts to this new race. One part is to forget those things that are behind you and the other part is to reach forward for those things which are ahead. Only then, will you be victorious in your race.

In those days, the family of Lot, ran toward the mountain to escape from the destruction of Sodom. But Lot’s wife could not forget what was behind her. She looked back, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). The Scripture tells us: “Listen, O daughter, Consider and incline your ear; Forget your own people also, and your father’s house; So, the King will greatly desire your beauty” (Psalm 45:10-11). So, if your life should be endearing to Lord Jesus, then you should forget your old and sinful ways of Adam.

The Israelites were on their way from Egypt to Canaan. But in their hearts, they were still holding on to their craving for cucumbers, garlic and onion of Egypt. Just because they were reaching forward toward their goal, most of them could not inherit the Canaan which was promised to them. You have before you, your heavenly home and eternal joy. And the heavenly kingdom that is lit up by the radiance of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Children of God, forget those things that are behind you and reach forward to those things that are ahead, and run in such a manner so as to obtain the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Verse for further meditation: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9:24)