Daily Devotional

-July 28, 2021-

Good morning, happy Wednesday,

-Press On Toward The Goal-

“I press on toward the goal toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ.”

(Philippians 3:14).

Paul was a tremendous example of pressing on for Christ. Persecution, opposition, chains, and imprisonment could not stop him from his goal of living for Christ and serving Him all his days. In Philippians 3:12-14, he twice uses the phrase, “I press on.” He not only preached it, he practiced it.

Every believer must do the same thing. We have to press on despite our circumstances, difficulties, trials, sorrows, troubles, and hardships. We press on in Jesus’ name, in His strength, and for His glory. In Romans 8:35, Paul asks the questions, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” These are formidable things, no question, but the Lord is with us to give us the victory.

Paul answers his own questions in Romans 8:37-39, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The Summer Olympics are well into its first week and there have been ups and downs, great victories and devastating losses. Katie Ledeky’s determination to persevere and press in has been inspirational and motivational. She is a great swimmer but she finished second in one race and fifth in another. She had to swim her longest race, the 1500 meter freestyle just over an hour after her previous race. This race is new to the Olympics for the women. The distance is almost one mile! She blasted off into the lead. With every stroke she pressed on. As I watched I was imagining how tired she was, but on she swam maintaining a sizable lead and winning the gold metal. I got tired just watching her!

I am reminded of the song entitled, “We Press On” by Selah. It says, “When the valley is deep, when the mountains are steep, when the body is weary, when we stumble and fall. When the choices are hard, when we’re battered and scarred, when we’ve spent our resources, when we’ve given our all. In Jesus’ name, we press on, in Jesus’ name, we press on, Dear Lord with the prize, clear before our eyes, we find the strength to press on.”

Let us press on and keep pressing on to the end. Jesus is leading us and giving us the strength to press on. His grace is sufficient for us. One day we will see our Savior and be with Him in heaven forever. Oh, what day that will be! We don’t talk about the labor pains, we celebrated the birth of the baby.

Have a blessed day pressing on for Jesus toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.

In His grace,

Dean