Day 4
“…I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Philippians 3:12b NIV
I think it is important to begin by realizing what follows this verse speaks of letting go of what was behind. Many times I want to move ahead in my life but yesterday’s stuff is following me. Paul says, that we need to forget what is behind and move ahead. It will be hard for me to press on if I am being held back by yesterday. One speaks to my past, the other to my future. A hope and a future.
I believe for us to fully grasp this verse we must read from Philippians 3:10-16
What does it mean to press on? Maybe forge ahead, propel, persevere, make headway, on continue on? These are some of the things that come to mind for me. Paul is forging ahead for a purpose, though. He has a goal in mind. The idea is not just to forge ahead aimlessly which sometimes we find ourselves doing. We are to press on, forge on with purpose and direction in mind. We have something great that we are reaching for.
I am forging on to take hold of something. Take hold, grip, clutch, and to gain ownership of it.
That? What is that? What did Jesus do that took hold on me? He lived the Father’s will and offered a ministry of reconciliation. Should I be reaching for the same?
For which Christ Jesus took hold of for me. That which he seized, acquired, collected, and grasped for me. It came to him with great cost but his embracing of whatever what required offered that very gift to me.
I want to live a life that responds to that gift and lives in the fullness of what has been acquired for me.
I want to grasp it, and apply it to my life.
What will this look like applied to our lives?
Comments(3)
Patricia and Keith says:
January 9, 2014 at 2:24 amI press on: I need to push myself to keep going , need to do my best not to get distracted, need to ask God for help in doing this. I am commited, I continue to search, I move forward, I have a role or responsibility, I push against that which would hold me back.
To take hold: To reach for, in order to obtain. To grasp. To possess, to experience, to become attached to.
Of that for which: The goal, the purpose – God`s purpose. The object, the aim, the finish line, the thing sought, the thing that was bought.
Christ Jesus: God and man, God with us, God choosing to be with us. The Annointed One who sits at God`s right hand. Saviour, Redeemer, The Resurrected Lord, the Victor. He through whom all things were made.
Took hold of me: Lifted me out of my self-built swamp like the Shepherd He is. Lifted me up, grasped me, is my Lord. Brought me into His Presence.
How does it apply to your life: It`s to keep going but in Jesus` strength. Christ has obtained the prize, my salvation, but to fully know what He has for me I press on, continue on His way (reference again to the 3 loves; God, others, each other)
What am I going to do?: Be constantly living in/with Jesus. Pray!
Susan Craig says:
January 9, 2014 at 3:04 amWhen I see the words “press on“ – I think of Pressure being applied and yet being able to function and move forward while still under that pressure. I think of walking uphill while the wind is in your face and working against you -trying to keep you from progressing toward your destination.
Hold is used twice in this verse. I believe the order of the holding is significant. First of all is the fact that Jesus is holding me-He initiates it and He sustains it-He didn’t hold unto us to then no longer be able to maintain that hold when the pressure is on- He continues holding us til we reach our destination. That is the key-when we are under pressure,the only way we can continue to hold unto Jesus is because His grip is stronger than ours-He will never let go of our hand-our holding unto Him is in response to the fact that He has ,is and will continue to hold unto us no matter what!!! How many times in life do we feel as if we are in a pressure cooker-sometimes we think that we can’t hold on any longer and have no strength to keep going? If we are trying to live our Christian life in our own strength,we will eventually find out how weak we really are and what an impossibility that really is. We only realize our own weakness when the pressure we are under continues beyond our own strength to endure it. In our weakness and inability to go on,we discover that He has sufficient strength to carry us to the finish line.
What is “that”-one word in the middle of the verse that could have many meanings-but the one that comes to mind for me is Purpose-Jesus had a purpose-He had a role to play/a job to do-one that was significant and that absolutely no one else could do. From the time of creation,God had a plan of salvation-before man fell,God already had a solution to the sin problem-that solution was Jesus! Jesus would leave glory and come to earth as one of us to do what none of us could do-take the punishment for our sin upon Himself so that He could save/rescue us and bring us to God-That was His purpose!! He fulfilled His purpose and because of that,we can trust that He will finish what He started in us! Jesus is THE way,THE truth,THE life-noone comes to the Father without HIM. Once we we realize we also have a Purpose-one that God has specifically planned for us-and a Destiny or goal or destination ,we can rest in this sure fact- Jesus is holding our hand and leading us to where we are meant to go.
Pat McRae says:
January 10, 2014 at 3:30 pmWow good comments today! I read the verse and then let the Holy Spirit talk to me and this is where He and I went today. WHY DID JESUS TAKE A HOLD OF ME? I think He knew I would have to press on in life to hold onto the Father’s love for me.
“Press on” for me is to always remember in every situation, no matter what it all looks like that I am loved. NO CONDITIONS!
Being truly loved for who I am and not what I want to be or others think I should be has not been a reality in my life. So I have to “press on” in being confident that the Father’s love is always mine and it is His work in me not my efforts that will bring about His perfect work. So as I “press on” I also “hold on” to all that Christ Jesus secured for me at Calvary. But I believe as I “hold on” to the Love of the Father my love for Him, for me and for others will grow to a point that I will automatically walk in the confidence that His work in me is a reflection of His love for me.