Tuesday February 22, 2022

Today is Tuesday, February 22 and this week we are exploring what the Bible says about leaving the past behind.

As I begin this new day with prayer, I seek God’s presence. I breathe deeply and slowly and focus my whole being upon the triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord God, thank you for loving me. I cherish reminders of your presence throughout my day. Teach me to open my heart and mind to receive the message you have for me. I am learning to listen for your still small voice speaking to my soul. Amen.

I join my voice with all God’s people to shout joy and sing praise with the words of Psalm 47.

God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. Psalm 47:5-7

Pause and Pray

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he uses the image of an athlete running a race to teach important spiritual truths. Paul’s metaphor of athletic games would have been familiar to his readers then and continues to be familiar today. In this passage, Paul is a runner and so am I. Like Paul I must focus on where I am headed and not look back to bygone ways and bygone days. Paul chooses to empty himself of familial, theological and religious status for the sake of an intimate relationship with Christ. All those things he once highly valued are now but “rubbish” to him in comparison to knowing Jesus (Philippians 4:8). What is past is left behind in order to obtain the promise of the future. Whatever I am holding onto is relinquished so I can embrace what is next. A runner’s axiom says, “The runner has lost when he turns back to see what is behind him.” When a runner runs he does not focus on what is behind, he strains forward to what lies ahead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Philippians 3:12-16

John Wesley, the 18th century founder of Methodism, taught that the goal of the Christian life is holiness of heart and life. Like Paul, I have not obtained this or arrived at my goal, but I am moving forward through the grace of God. I press on like a runner running a race, a ski jumper leaning down the hill, or a speed skater heading for the home stretch. I have the opportunity to take hold of this new life because Jesus Christ has already taken hold of me. Thank God. Because of Jesus, I can forget what is behind, my former life. I leave the past in the past to obtain the promise of the future. I let go of former failures, regrets and disappointments. I abandon sin and shame. Jesus paid the price for me, I am forgiven and set free to move on. I relinquish prior wounds, sorrows and fears. I set down old grudges, anger and unforgiveness. I acknowledge my fondness for the way the church “used to be,” and I am willing to let that go in order to see what God wants the church to be. I walk away from former worldly achievements, successes and status. I leave it in the past and do not look back. Because of Jesus, I strain forward toward what is ahead.

Ask: Like the runner, when do I find myself “turning back” to see what is behind me? How might God want me to focus forward and press on toward the future he has for me?

Pause and Pray

Lord Jesus, the joy of knowing you surpasses anything I have attained in the past. Forgive me when I continually look back, slowing my spiritual progress. Show me what I need to leave behind and help me to forget what is not of you. Enable me to press on and strain forward with all of my might to the future you have for me. I persevere toward the goal God has assigned. I read the words from Philippians again and listen for the message you have for me.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Philippians 3:12-16

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

God inspired Paul to incorporate these runner’s images to teach me truths about progressing in the life of faith. God speaks to me through these verses of scripture and the knowledge he imparts will shape my destiny. God speaks to my past, present and/or future through this biblical text. Perhaps there is something in my past which still has a hold on me, a circumstance on which I continually visit and habitually dwell. Maybe God is inviting me to let go of something, forget and leave it behind. Perhaps there is something in my present which God has already supplied, but I am not living up to. Maybe God is beckoning me to take a more mature perspective and will provide clarity regarding a spiritual truth. Perhaps there is something in my future that God encourages me to press toward and persevere. Maybe I need to strain forward to take hold of the promise and God is cheering me on like a stadium full of fans.

Pause and Pray

Precious Lord, I invite you to lead me in this race. Let me follow in your footsteps and teach me to run with perseverance. Show me the goal of the Christian life that is worth straining for and let me leave behind all the worldly things I once highly valued. Come, Holy Spirit, be my trainer, my coach, my encourager, my mentor, my guide. Amen.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

I leave this time of prayer ready to run the race that is before me, striving to live a life worthy of the call of Jesus, and demonstrating love to others as Christ first loved me.

Amen.