Daily Scripture: Philippians 3:10-14
10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
12 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. 13 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, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
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Reflection Questions:
Happy New Year’s Day! Whether you stayed up late to watch “the ball drop,” or got up early so that you could watch the floats and parades, Paul has words to get 2009 off to a great start. In God’s power and grace, we can indeed “press on toward the mark” all through this brand new year.
- How do you understand Paul’s statement that he is forgetting what is past? (In verses 5 and 6 of this chapter, he describes his past accomplishments, so he clearly doesn’t mean “forget” in that literal sense.) What regrets or guilt from your past can you ask God to help you leave behind in 2009?
- “I haven’t reached the goal,” Paul wrote. Ask yourself: what are the areas of my life (if any) in which I feel pretty satisfied that I’ve arrived, that I’m as good as I ever intend to be? Ask God honestly if there’s any further growth for you to make in those areas.
Read insights and reflections from today’s passage by our pastors at gpsinsights.wordpress.com
Weekly Prayer:
God of time and eternity, take into your hands all of the hopes, fears, plans and expectations that I have for the year 2009. Walk with me into this new year, and shape me into the person you are calling me to be, so that 12 months from now I may know, love and serve you more. Amen.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, TODAY’S NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society®. Used by permission of International Bible Society®. All rights reserved worldwide.
