Philippians 3:13-14
(NLT)
……..but I focus on
this one thing: forgetting the past and
looking forward to what lies ahead. I
press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God,
through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Let’s
focus carefully on the action words (verbs) of these two verses -- focus,
forgetting, looking forward, press on, and receive.
Focus
Paul
makes is clear that his focus is on one thing—forgetting the past and looking
forward to the future. How much pain and
torment would this attitude eliminate in your life if you really practiced
it? The past is over, forget it! The future holds our hope, reach for it!
Forgetting
What
you are to forget are your past failures, bad choices, heartaches, and
injustices. Living constantly with
regrets about your past, grieving over bad choices and failures and not being
able to forgive and forget who hurt you, even years ago, unnecessarily punish and
handicap you from being who Christ wants you to be now. For example, how many failed marriages leave
people with terrible memories that they seemingly can never get over? How many people live daily with memories of
how they were mistreated in the past by a parent, teacher, boss, friend,
acquaintance, or even a stranger? God’s
command here is literally to forget in deference to something else. There is something more important in your
life than your past. You need to forget
and to move on. How many times have you
heard someone say or even you have said it, “I will forgive but never
forget”? Well, not forgetting is
violating this edict from Philippians 3:13.
Christ is your model and aren’t you relieved that He forgets your
offenses to Him in your past? You are to
do the same. Not only are you to forget
your own past, but you also are to forget past failures of others. A sign of Christian maturity is your strong
faith in the Lord to be able to forget the past and press on to what lies
ahead. Forgetting the past does not mean that you have to forget past good
memories (why else then would you take photographs?). However, for some people, living in the past
because of those good memories can also be a detriment. That is, past good memories sometimes so
depress you because they are gone that you cannot bear to move forward. In this case, Paul’s admonition applies.
Looking
forward
Someone
once said, “The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you
can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and
heartaches.” The best of your life is
ahead; do you believe this? If not, you
are not yet a spirit-filled person. A
spiritually-dynamic person always believes that the best times and years are
coming, not past and gone. Actually, the
original Greek word here is “reaching forth” that conveys the imagery of a
sprinter lunging forward at the end of a race.
You are to “reach forth” in this life, you do not “reach forth” for
eternity. You are to run the race to end
it triumphantly here on earth before you receive the heavenly prize.
Press
on
"Press
on" in the Greek expresses the idea of pursuit after or follow earnestly.
The great analogy here is the marathon runner who keeps his/her eye on the
finish line and nothing will distract from achieving the goal. How would you describe your pursuit after the
spiritual goal that God has set before you?
You might still be at the starting line because either you have not yet
been saved in Christ or you have given your life to Christ, but not yet started
the race. You might be someone who got
off to a good start, but have been floundering lately or for a long while. You might be someone who is walking or
jogging and not yet racing. Or,
hopefully, you are running the race as best you can and are experiencing the
joys of a person who knows where he/she stands with Christ and knows that you
will finish the race in excellent shape.
Anything less that running the race will deflect you from finishing the
race of life victoriously.
Receive
What
is received? The heavenly prize that God
through Christ is calling you. And what
is the heavenly prize? The word “prize”
means “wreath or crown”. The original
readers of these words were well aware of the bestowing of a wreath upon the
head of the winner of public games. The
wreath also gave the victor not only public affirmation and praise, but also,
practically, no longer had to pay taxes. Perhaps the best prize you could
receive is to hear from the Lord at the end, "Well done, good and faithful
servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many
things" (Matthew 25:21). Those who
hear these words are those who have lived their lives centered around the
glorification of God through Christ. This prize is received in heaven. You do not receive the prize anytime
prior. That’s what makes life on earth a
little bit harder because we do not see what that prize really is. Yet in faith
(the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen) you are
to live your life by (1) forgetting the past, (2) looking forward and pressing
on and (3) to finish the race victoriously through all you do with your life to
love God and love others as yourself.
The
author of this poem is unknown, but it contains such wise thoughts that relate
to Paul’s teaching in Philippians 3:13-14:
Forget the kindness
that you do as soon as you have done it.
Forget the praise
that falls on you the moment you have won it.
Forget the slander
that you hear before you can repeat it.
Forget each slight,
each spite, each sneer wherever you may meet it.
Remember every
kindness done to you, whatever its measure.
Remember praise by
others won and pass it on with pleasure.
Remember every
promise made and keep it to the letter.
Remember those who helped
and taught you and be a grateful debtor.
Remember all the
happiness that comes your way in living.
Forget each worry
and distress, be hopeful and forgiving.
Remember good,
remember truth,
Remember heaven is
above you.
Always focus on
the Lord who will never leave or forsake you.
