February 27, 2023 - PUSH THE PACE!

Way back in 1980, I remember being in Bible class at Mill Road Christian School… I honestly don’t remember a lot about that class other than the first memory verse we were given: I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

I guess that was a prelude to the ministry I would end up in all those years later… centering around athletic themes… press… toward… goal… prize

(NOTE: before I dive into this week’s devo, let me give a disclaimer to what this verse is not saying… it is not stating that one receives salvation as a reward for service… in fact the word prize is a word that was used metaphorically as a heavenly reward for Christian character…)

This verse is part of a discourse on how to effectively “play the game” --- one in which Paul how he is not resting on the laurels of his past, nor being discouraged by the shortcomings (as he admits he was not yet “perfected”/totally mature – vs 12)… but instead keeps pressing on!

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but 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)

The Message paraphrase: “I’ve got my eye on the goal… I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”

Although I know the past can give us a good education, it is dangerous to spend too much time looking back at it… or as one phrase I copied to my notes last year put it: Don’t let the rearview mirror be bigger than the windshield!

These verses call us to forward progress! In my mind I envision an uptempo game plan that puts the opponent on his heals! I picture the first varsity game I was a part of at Statesville Christian School back in 2005… and every time the other team got the ball… BAM!... they were up the court; it put so much pressure on us… (of course the other team’s point guard was Ty Lawson, who ended up putting pressure on many teams at the high school level… while playing for North Carolina in college… and pushing the pace in the NBA! I didn’t see Ty looking backwards very often…)

PUSH THE PACE… let’s get after it toward the goal!