-October 6, 2022-
Good morning, happy Thursday,
“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).
Yesterday we mediated on the subject of what we should remember; today we will look at what we should forget. In fact, it is the only thing in the Scriptures we are told to forget: the past. When we think of the past, there are negative things and positive things; Paul tells us that he forgets the past and reaches forward to the things which are ahead. Living in the past is never good. We shouldn’t rest on our laurels, that means what we have achieved or stew over our failures and mistakes.
We need to follow Paul’s example and pursue the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ. We don’t have time to let the past interfere in our lives and service for the Lord. We need to focus on today not yesterday or tomorrow. God has forgiven us of all our sins, they are under the blood. Paul had been a zealous Pharisee who persecuted the followers of Christ. I am sure that he regretted that very much. Instead of brooding over it, He moved past the past to serve the Lord. He also didn’t dwell over his successes in Judaism either. His Christian life began at his conversion and he moved on, not looking back.
What Paul did was live each day one day at a time, and became the greatest apostle, preacher, teacher, and missionary. The past didn’t hinder him but he didn’t let it. When the past knocks or rings our doorbell, don’t answer it! The old expression says, “Don’t open a can of worms.” Doing so doesn’t profit us but brings complications and difficulties. Don’t open that can of worms of the past.
Paul considered his past gains as losses, even as rubbish that he may be may gain Christ. He spent his life knowing the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering. This is why he could tell Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). It doesn’t mean anything if we don’t finish strongly. So many start well but fizzle out. Like Paul we should move forward, press on, not looking back. Tom Brady, the star quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and formerly the quarterback of the New England Patriots, won seven Super Bowls, but he also lost three. He put all of those wins and losses behind him in winning his first championship with the Bucs two years ago.
May we put the past behind us and embrace the present and put our hope in the Lord. Have a blessed day living for and serving the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.
Pressing on for the prize of the upward call of God,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 