"...But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly [or upward] call in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 3:13b-14, HCSB
We looked last Thursday at leaving the past behind us, and then started reaching forward to what was ahead on Tuesday. But what, what are we reaching for? What is the prize that this passage is alluding to? The answer is both beautiful and simple. Our prize is God.
We are looking forward to a prize that is beyond this earthly life. Our prize lies in the glorious future we have awaiting us with our Father, our Savior and His Spirit, all around us. We will glorified alongside Christ, heirs to the kingdom of God.
This is huge.
Our past ain't good, y'all. We are sinful humans, guilty before the holy One above all. We have lied and cheated and sleazed around and lusted over and murdered and hated and coveted our whole lives, directly rebelling against God. We are peasants whoe have spit in the face of the King.
Yet, despite that, His love never fails. He still sent Jesus, His only Son, to die on a cross and whoever believes in Him, calling Him Lord, shall be saved.
But that salvation is only the beginning. We are saved, yes, but we will one day be glorified. We will be lifted high and be princes and princesses of light. That, my friends, is the prize. That future of awe and wonder and glory, our glorification alongside the even greater glorification of Christ, forever and ever, is beyond words. I don't even have a vocabulary to express the greatness of this, and I'd bet you don't, either. We have God and all of His glory, forever. All the while, we will be glorified, as well. Amazing.
Let us run toward the prize, let us make this our aim. May we leave our sinful, rebellious, troubled past behind and pursue our future, straining to reach it. Let's do that, as there is nothing more beautiful than that.
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