One Thing

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 
 
Philippians 3:13-14 

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

Philippians 1:21 

Paul had focus. His purpose in life was to live Christ. Behind him lay a host of ambitions, achievements, and accolades. Viewed in spiritual terms, some of the things in his history were things of which he was justly ashamed. He had been a hater of Christ and a persecutor of His people. Christ had arrested him, transformed him, and commissioned him to preach the gospel. As a matter of personal spiritual desire, Paul had arrived at the place in his experience where everything else was of less value to him than gaining Christ, being found in Him, and becoming like Him. Therefore, every lesser goal, ambition, accolade, triumph, failure or achievement became something to be forgotten. Instead, because he realized he still had so very far to go to become like Christ, he put all those things behind him and focused on Christ and becoming like Him. The prize would be to be with Christ and like Christ. That would come together at ‘the upward call.’  Paul dedicated his life to this. The example of the way in which Paul lived his life becomes useful for us as we learn to live Christ. 

Our Good and Gracious God, 
we rejoice that You have set before us 
examples of those who have followed You fully. 
We praise You that we can learn from their patterns of life, 
how to follow Christ. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning