“…but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press towards the mark …” Philippians 3:13
Dear Ones:
What does an older soldier of the faith tell those who are younger who will be taking up the mantle, carrying on the testimony and witness of Christ by their lives and words? One great secret has to do with how to use the present moment to its fullest potential. Why? Faith is a very present moment attitude of mind and heart. If one is to be filled with the Spirit, filled with the knowledge of the will of God, and consequently filled with the “fruits of righteousness,” those fruits of the Spirit in the greatest measure possible, then one MUST learn to live in the present moment in a manner consistent with the Lord Jesus. If we look at what Jesus accomplished in the three years of His ministry, we are overwhelmed by the amount of work He accomplished, the variety and magnitude of all that He did which was good. This we see in His dealing with others, as He met the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of countless multitudes. And yet, we never see Him running, or in a hurry, distraught about failure or deterred by the difficulty of that which faced Him. What was a key to His life and ministry that is also applicable to us? The Lord Jesus, in the most perfect manner, learned to “redeem the time,” to use it to the fullest possible extent, and in the most effective manner. How?
The first reason was that He lived submitted to, living and abiding in, the One who WAS His power and wisdom. We know from His own declarations that “His food was to DO the will of Him that sent Him.” Likewise, He did nothing but that which He saw the Father doing. In other words, Christ concentrated in the present moment on present responsibility and devotion to the Father, according to the knowledge of His will in that moment.
Secondly, the Lord Jesus lived a life of utter dependence upon the Spirit of God. He relied not in the least upon Himself, only on the Spirit for all. He was filled with, anointed by, led and empowered by the Spirit. Because He had laid aside the glory of heaven that He knew before the foundation of the world, to take upon Him the limitations of human flesh, dwelling among us, He submitted Himself in an absolute manner to being dependent upon the Spirit for every need that He had. All was thus done, lived, and accomplished, BY the Spirit, and in accordance with the will of the Father.
There is a third reason for which the Lord used perfectly the present moment, and it had to do with the past and the future. Though as God, He KNEW the past, He did not rely on the past moment for present inspiration and direction, except as the Father revealed it. He was “free” from the confinement of seeking to make the present moment, experience, and accomplishments, a reflection and pattern of the past. Though certain things with respect to His relationship with the Father, and the overall purpose of His coming, remained the same, the day to day living, working, serving, had its basis and reference in the PRESENT will of God, according to His wisdom of the day. Christ was indeed the perfect man, free to love His Father, dependent upon the Spirit and submitted to His will. He thus was able to do all that He did, and fully accomplish His saving work to redeem us, for the glory of God.
Dear Father, You have told us not to look back, to forget that which is behind, certainly enabling us to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus in the present moment. We thank Thee that You are the great Original, who ONLY does wondrous things. Give us to so abide in the Lord Jesus in this present moment, and Him in us, that the opportunity at hand will be used well by Your power, in accordance with Your will. We thank and praise Thee, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad