“…But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13,14
When the rancher, specifically the cowboy, rises in the morning, certain things are specifically done in different ways to prepare him for the moment when he will mount his horse to go forth to the work at hand among his cattle. He does not just rise from sleep, and run to jump carelessly, and slovenly upon his horse. There is a preparation of body, spirit, and mind which enable him to effectively take his position on the back of his horse and be assured that he has done everything necessary that he can think of to be successful, and effective, in the task set before him. With respect to the things of God, there is another type of preparation for a believer in Christ to enter the day, going forth with confidence to the task at hand. It is a spiritual preparation that is essential if there would be a regular and realized result.
When the Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, was speaking to them of his ultimate objective, that of truly knowing Christ, and the power of His resurrection, he spoke of something he DID. He called it the “one thing” that he did. It had to do with time, and the effective use of that time in light of eternity, and the eternal blessing associated with it. When Paul wrote the letter it was in the present moment of his day. All that preceded that day was in the past. In that past was the testimony of his victories and defeats, his sins and his good and acceptable works in the will of God. The record was set in stone, and would have remained like that, with the enemy of our souls dragging out all that pertained to every flaw, failure, or self-glory, were it not for the power and effectiveness of the blood of Christ to cleanse from all sin.
Coupled with the blood of Christ was the cross of Christ, that instrument as Paul put it, in which he would glory. Why? Because the cross of Christ was the declaration to the world of Paul’s day, and now in our own, of Christ’s perfect work, not only to deal with sins and their consequences, but with the whole of the sinner, the “old man,” the man of sin which we were outside of Christ. That old man was crucified with Christ, so that by the power of a new life, the indwelling Spirit, a new, overcoming life should be lived, one springing forth from within. So, in preparation to go forth into a new day, to in essence climb again into the saddle of opportunity, devotion, and success, Paul would DO one thing, “…forgetting those things which are behind,” he deliberately reached forth to those things which are ahead. Paul had come to grips with the spiritual fact that he had died in Christ, been crucified with Him, that old “self” had been completely dealt with in the past, with sins forgiven, and the heart cleansed, so that by the appropriation of the Life of Christ by the Spirit, he could, and would go forth into the new day to serve Christ by the power of God.
Paul did more concerning that daily preparation. He put on Christ, grasping or taking hold by faith of the fact that he, the new man in Christ, had been raised up with Christ from death, by the same eternal Spirit, having been put into living union with Jesus Christ by the Father. His position was now IN CHRIST, in this living union with Him in order to derive from Him by faith all that he needed, and more, so that he could live for God’s glory. Seated in heavenly places in Christ, he saw himself complete in Christ, victorious over sin, Satan, and the world. Paul’s preparation was Christ Himself.
Dear Father, Prepare us for today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.