Pursuing the Prize
Pursuing the Prize
I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3:14)
The Best Life
If a life of regret is a miserable existence, the best kind of life is a life of purpose. Our hearts desperately want to pursue something worthwhile. In a way you can look at the whole sorry history of the human race and trace every problem back to a lack of purpose or a failure to pursue the right purpose. In fact, that’s what idolatry is—a failure to value and pursue that which is most valuable, namely, God.
Every Christian has been blessed with a clear and compelling purpose. And that purpose is, as Paul puts it, to “pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” What does that mean? Well, from the larger context of this passage and the rest of the Scriptures, it means we’re called to know God through Jesus Christ. Along with that knowledge—the intimate relationship God wants with each one of us—comes our specific callings as we follow Jesus in every sphere of life.
Clearly Simpler
When we know why we’re here, it makes things a whole lot simpler. It gives us the possibility of focus, effectiveness, and joy, provided we act on the knowledge we’ve been given. Like Paul, we need our purpose fixed firmly in our minds, and then we need to pursue it with everything in us. This is the path to an obedient, God-glorifying, joyful, fruitful life. Go hard after the prize.
Bottom Line
A life of purpose is based on God’s Word. It is not something we dream up ourselves. Your purpose is to know Jesus and pursue your calling in Him.