I remember as a teen I loved sports. I played softball, basketball, and ran track in school. Note, in a small school, you can make the team if you try 😉. I loved staying busy and reaching for the prize at the end. I entered everything I could in school, talent shows, bake-offs, anything that was a challenge, and offered a reward. In track, my couch would run down the side of the track and yell run hard, run fast. I would dig in and give every ounce of myself to please my coach. I guess that is why I love Paul’s writings in Philippians where he talks about running the race and winning the prize.
In Philippians 3:13 Paul gives us a glimpse into his view of his walk with Christ. He assures us that he doesn’t feel he has arrived as a Christian. There is no one on this earth who has “arrived.” If we are following Christ with all our hearts, every day we will see something that needs to change in our lives.
Philippians 3:13 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”
Paul gives us his recipe for how he continues with anticipation, love, and success, to please the Master. Paul says, “this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.” These are not two separate things; these are to be done simultaneously. The means of forgetting is replacing it with something else. Paul is teaching us that we can’t live on what we should or could have done. We can’t live dwelling on past successes or past failures. We forget, by spending our energy doing what we need to do to grow closer to God and advance the kingdom of God here on this earth. He affirms this thought in the next verse. He presses toward the end where the prize will be attained.
Philippians 3:14 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
The word press reminds me of my coach who pushed us to our limits. When we reached those limits, new ones were presented to us. I can’t help but think of the Alabama football coach in this matter, while I don’t promote him in all areas of his life, his philosophy of winning the race is to equip his players to finish the game. They are to be in such good shape, that they can give maximum effort until the last second of the game. That’s what we are to do as Christians. We must prepare ourselves now, to be able to finish the race of the Christian life with maximum effort. We are not to waver in our desire to please Him, in our efforts to obey Him, nor in our efforts to be so much like Him, that others see Him in us.
Our prize will be that incorruptible crown in heaven. The high calling is the call from God to fix our eyes on great and noble efforts for Him. In the verse, the word high in the Greek means upward, that which tends to the skies. We are called from Heaven, and to Heaven.
We cannot afford to look back and gaze at the past with regrets or longings. We are to use all our time and effort to push forward. Looking back is only beneficial if we are learning from our mistakes or praising God for his grace, mercy, and goodness.
So run, run hard, run fast! The prize is waiting for those who do.
I Corinthians 9:24 “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”
