"Eyes On The Prize!"

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 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 3:12-14

I recently had a vision of this very idea of pressing forward in our 'upward call' so today I would like to encourage you to do this very thing. As a kid running on the track team at school one of the main thing I remember them stressing is, "Don't look back." "Look at the finish line and keep your eyes on the prize." Why?  Because if you take the time to look back and check out where your opponents are then it will slow you down and those few seconds could cost you the race.

As believers we too need to keep our eyes on the prize. We too need to stay focused on moving forward in the things of God. The word tells us that we go from glory to glory and we need to pursue the deeper things of God. The same way that we run a race in the natural, with our eyes focused on the track before us and not looking at who or what is behind us. Too often Christians get distracted by the things from the past. Old sins, old worries, old ways. But here is the thing that has to be the purpose of our heart ... '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.'

Remember how Jesus told Martha, 'that one thing is needed and Mary had chosen that one thing?' Luke 10:42 Here is the same point. One thing is still the thing needed. Forgetting the old stuff and pushing forward with His will and purposes. The one thing needed ...Keeping our eyes on Him in every area of our lives. Why? So that we too might 'lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.' Jesus paid a price so that we could have an abundant life! We are to make Him the 'one thing' we focus on so that we can walk and talk and look and live like the anointed child of God He made it possible for us to be! 

Don't lose those precious seconds looking over your shoulder at the things you've left behind when they could be spent with Him in the glory instead! Eyes on the prize!