I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.- Philippians 3:10
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid 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 of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:11-14
How well do you want to know Jesus?
Pressing On to Know Jesus More
Philippians 3:11-14 reminds us that we have not yet reached perfection, but we are called to press on. Paul writes about forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, focused on the heavenly goal found in Christ Jesus. This same calling is ours today. The question is, how much do we really want to know Jesus?
We are thankful for His salvation. We love to read His words, reflect on His compassion, and rejoice in hearing about His miracles. His name brings us joy. But knowing about Jesus is not the same as truly knowing Him. When we love someone, we seek a deep relationship. We care about their thoughts, their desires, and we want to experience life with them. This is the kind of relationship we are invited into with Jesus.
Letting Go of the Past to Pursue Christ
Knowing Jesus more intimately often means letting go of things that hold us back. Old desires, distractions, or even painful memories may keep us from fully loving Him. Sometimes we must release the things that once defined us in order to discover the greater purpose found in Christ.
Our past is a part of our story, but it should not define our future. Some memories bring shame, some stir temptation, and others may simply distract us from our calling. When that happens, we fix our eyes on what lies ahead. We remember that we belong to Jesus, and we focus on His grace, His forgiveness, and His constant love. We let His work in our lives speak louder than the memories that try to pull us back.
Keep Moving Forward in Love
Even beautiful memories and accomplishments should not cause us to stop growing. Every day is a new opportunity to know Jesus more. His love motivates us to keep going, to press on, and to never settle for a past experience when there is more of Him to discover.
Do you want to know Jesus? Then leave behind whatever keeps you from Him. Keep pressing forward. Keep loving Him more. Keep seeking Him with your whole heart.