LOSE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR

Wednesday 1 January

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken 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 3:13-14 (BSB)

Have you ever heard the saying the past does not exist? It’s absolutely true. 2 Corinthians 5:17b says ‘old things are passed away and all things are become new’, so why does our experience at times seem contrary to what the Bible says?

If you’re driving along the highway and you focus only on what is in your rear view mirror, without looking at the road ahead what do you think will happen? At some point you’re going to run off the road or crash into something or someone because your focus is incorrect. When your focus is misdirected then your vehicle will follow suit. It’s the same with our lives.

The Apostle Paul has some amazing ‘New Year’s’ advice that will be of great help to all of us in our journey going forward. FORGET, ATTAIN, REACH TOWARD and PRESS FORWARD. Let’s take a closer look.

Katalambano is the Greek word for ‘taken hold of it’ in our text scripture. It means to lay hold of, to make your own, to seize upon, to obtain, attain, to apprehend, appropriate and take possession of.

Notice that none of these things are passive. This has to do with taking intentional actions to personalise the benefits of your multifaceted salvation in Christ. Everything the word says is yours is literally ‘there for the taking’ but you are the one to take it and make it yours. The first action to take is agree with the Word of God about whose you are, who you are, what you have and what you can do through Christ. Your life goes in the direction of your words. If you rehash the past, you will re-live it. Not because it existed, but because you recreated it in the present.

‘Forgetting’ brings us to another long Greek word: epilanthanomai. It means to neglect, to no longer care for or to lose out of mind. ‘Out of sight out of mind’. The Apostle Paul is actually giving us permission by the Spirit to neglect the past. To stop caring about it. To purposely lose it from our minds. This is vital if we are going to move forward. When he said that he WAS the chief of sinners, (past tense). He knew the power of the statement that he made when we understand the murderous and injurious actions he took against believers. It became so much that Jesus personally singled him out and said to him ‘why are you persecuting me?’ If Paul could leave his past, the good news is anybody can.

Next is to ‘reach toward’ or Epekteinomai in Greek. This means to ‘stretch yourself forward’ or a better understanding is to ‘reach forward to.’ Think about this for a moment. You cannot reach forward to something when you are facing backwards (metaphorically speaking). It is possible (try it) but you can’t see where you are reaching towards. Better to turn around (repent).

Lastly we press on. The word in Greek is ‘dioko’. The analogy used is that of a runner that is running in a race in hot pursuit of a goal with eagerness in an endeavour to acquire the prize. Maybe you feel like situations and circumstances last year have taken you off track and you’re not ‘running with endurance the race that has been set before you’. Like Eric Liddell in the movie ‘Chariots of Fire’, it’s time to get back up, get back on track and take the prize of not just some medal but your high calling in Christ Jesus. Remember, you have all of heaven cheering you on!

APPLICATION

FORGET. ATTAIN. REACH TOWARD. PRESS FORWARD.

Wishing you all a Happy and prosperous New Year! Ps Nate