Today's Devotion - Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV) -
13 Brothers, 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.
When Paul talks about the prize for which God has called him, he is talking about Jesus winning Paul to apostleship. Paul does not want us to pay attention to what has been or happened before. He wants us to look forward to our future in Jesus Christ.
Today's Comments: In today's verse, Paul talks about his calling by Jesus Christ. In some way or other, all Christians are called by God: Some to teach, some to be deacons, some to be priests and bishops, some to be helpers, and some to use their special talents in toward helping others. Sometimes our calling is clear, and sometimes our calling needs discernment. Sometimes our calling changes, placing us into situations that we do not anticipate. For example, I always thought that my calling was toward military ministry. And, I thought that doors had been opened to me to become a chaplain in the State Military Reserve. However, right now those doors appear to be closing for the moment. Yet, at the same time, I have been asked to act as a civilian chaplain to an Army Reserve air unit at Los Alamitos. There are no Army Chaplains available to this group, and less than a month ago, one of their members committed suicide. They are meeting on August 7th to discuss that suicide, and I will be acting as their chaplain. Maybe my activities with this unit will allow me entry as a State Military Reserve Chaplain, but no matter what, I will press on to do that what God has called me to do.
13 Brothers, 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.
When Paul talks about the prize for which God has called him, he is talking about Jesus winning Paul to apostleship. Paul does not want us to pay attention to what has been or happened before. He wants us to look forward to our future in Jesus Christ.
Today's Comments: In today's verse, Paul talks about his calling by Jesus Christ. In some way or other, all Christians are called by God: Some to teach, some to be deacons, some to be priests and bishops, some to be helpers, and some to use their special talents in toward helping others. Sometimes our calling is clear, and sometimes our calling needs discernment. Sometimes our calling changes, placing us into situations that we do not anticipate. For example, I always thought that my calling was toward military ministry. And, I thought that doors had been opened to me to become a chaplain in the State Military Reserve. However, right now those doors appear to be closing for the moment. Yet, at the same time, I have been asked to act as a civilian chaplain to an Army Reserve air unit at Los Alamitos. There are no Army Chaplains available to this group, and less than a month ago, one of their members committed suicide. They are meeting on August 7th to discuss that suicide, and I will be acting as their chaplain. Maybe my activities with this unit will allow me entry as a State Military Reserve Chaplain, but no matter what, I will press on to do that what God has called me to do.
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