Philippians 3:14
“I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
This has always been a memorable passage. I don’t think it’s been one I’ve been one I’ve spent much time on. What is the goal? Here is what Matthew Henry says, “Believers make Christ all in all, and set their hearts upon another world”. It’s Christ and we get His fulness in heaven.
The goal and prize is a Person. He’s the answer to a history long quest and question. Every heart yearns heavenward. Life and choices cloud it. Responding to Him clarifies it. He says, John 14:6 says, ‘Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”‘
Paul used to be a persecutor of christians until Acts 9:3,4, ‘Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”’ Jesus took Paul’s actions personally. So should we. Our sin is against God. We hurt Him. While people say some sins are victimless crimes, they hurt God.
He is be our goal and all in all. We follow Him until our earthly journey is done. This is probably confusing to an unbeliever or a new believer. It was for me. I would try to read in to what I should do or feel. I would end up feeling I’ve come up short.
Here’s what Jesus has to say, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light”, (Matthew 11:28-30). In another version it says, “My yoke is easy”. My efforts made it quite difficult, nearly impossible. It wasn’t until I got to know Him that it became easy. It again is about a person.
As we get to know Him we are learning the way. John 14:6 says, ‘Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”‘ The person, Jesus, is the way. I love that. What a cool, interesting and unique way. Great stories throughout history involve quests. Finding the brass ring or the holy grail. We love these. This is like that, but it’s the person of Christ. And everyone, even a child, get Him. It’s not through a tricky course that only a few can navigate. We ask Him, believe and receive His forgiveness and follow Him and we’re in. Thus begins the journey.
We often heard that the journey is the joy. He is the way. Life in Christ is awesome and amazing. Our life in Christ can be called a walk. Walking with Christ. That’s it. We follow Him, the Way.
Walking is something friends do. Luke 24 has Jesus walking with two of His disciples. He wants to walk with us. John 15:15 says, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.” He wants to walk with us as a friend.
We begin to mimic Him. He’s loving and kind, so He helps us to be. We bump into challenges, so we ask Him to help. That’s how it works. We know that He won’t give us anything more difficult than we can handle (I Corinthians 10:13). So that which we are experiencing is from Him. We trust Him through it all.
Thank You, Lord, for Jesus the Way. We agree with Paul, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”