Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” vss. 13-14
Philippians 3:9-14
Paul knew that the best was yet to come and he was determined to press forward in the Way of Christ Jesus. He uses some sports talk to illustrate what he had in mind, knowing that the Greeks were very familiar with the games of Mt. Olympus. We like that kind of talk too, and preachers trying to connect with their audience will often use metaphors drawn from the world of golf and even some lesser sports. And there is a sense in which life is like a race and it’s obviously more of a marathon than a dash. And we often do have some sort of an ending in mind as we run, almost like a goal line. So we get Paul here – he’s talking in terms we understand.
The danger comes when we start thinking that the race is like a competition and there are going to be winners and losers. For people of faith the laurel wreath is not a sign of achievement but a holy gift that comes to all who cross the goal. Of course it will be a delight to receive it but all the thanks and glory will go to God, the Author and Giver of all life, including the life to come.
Thought for the Day: What’s the best sports metaphor for life in Christ?
0 Comments