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. 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14

Last weekend our oldest grandson shared his favorite Bible verse. He read Romans 8:38-29 to us and my mind turned to the passage above which is one of my favorite verses as Paul summed up much of how I feel.

Paul was a man who was born into the right family. His education and commitment to his faith were second to none and yet he considered all of that as nothing more than a heap of rubbish in light of his pursuit of Christ as his ultimate goal. Yet, in his devotion to Christ, he accomplished much more than his life would have otherwise. He did his part to avoid the kind of life that settled for less.

Quotes like the one above challenge me on a couple of fronts. First, I am challenged to live my life to the fullest as I follow after Christ. Second, the pursuit of Christ should also be evident in every other aspect of my life.  

I remember the words that a good friend share with me once – “every birthday reminds me of the need to accelerate instead of backing off the gas.” My life should be one of caring for others as Christ did. My life should be one of integrity – my actions should match what I say I believe. My performance on the job or in retirement should reflect the light of Christ within me as well.

How will you respond to Paul’s comment to the Philippians?