All in or Almost: Friday

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:14

You have likely heard the saying, "Eyes on the prize." This saying is a helpful reminder that the things we focus on get our attention and affection. The things we focus on also impact what we do and the decisions we make. In light of this understanding, the most important thing that we can focus on as followers of Christ is eternity. When eternity with Christ becomes our focus, each decision we make and everything we do is done in light of eternity. When we focus on eternity with Christ, we will sacrifice anything and endure any hardship in order to know Christ and make Him known.

The apostle Paul understood the importance of focusing on eternity with Christ over anything else. In this passage of Scripture, he wrote, "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead" (verses 10-11). Paul wanted to follow Christ so fully and wholeheartedly that he was willing to sacrifice anything. He was even willing to face suffering. Why? He looked to the reward: eternity with Christ. He continued writing, "I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us" (verses 12-14). Paul lived with the end in mind: eternity with Christ. Eternity with Christ informed everything he said, wrote, and did. Eternity with Christ was Paul's motivation to keep following Christ and making Him known even when life became difficult.

Because Paul lived with eternity in mind, he was fully devoted to Christ. He was "all in" when it came to following Christ, regardless of the hardship or persecution he faced because of his faith. Paul's focus on Christ and eternity with Him serves as an example for us to follow.  You see, when we understand what truly matters for eternity, our priorities change. We no longer live for ourselves or this world. Instead, we live wholeheartedly for God, holding nothing back in order to follow Him and live for Him. May each one of us, like Paul, "press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."

Moving Toward Action

In light of eternity, we must make Christ known to everyone around us. Who do you know who needs to experience the joy of knowing Christ? Reach out to them today and set a time to meet over the next week. When you meet, find an opportunity to share the Bridge Diagram with them, which can be found here, in order to share the hope of Christ with them. Don't forget to pray for this person throughout the week and ask God to work in their hearts so that they, too, may come to know Him.

Going Deeper

Philippians 3:12-21