Read

Philippians 3:1-14

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Reflect

At the timberline of Mt. Shasta in California grows the Shasta fir. It spends its early life under the heavy snowpack, which often reaches 20 feet during the winter months. The snow batters and presses the young plant so that it twists and turns and struggles to survive. Then comes a winter when the tree is able to break through the snowpack. It has grown through adversity, so now it starts to shoot up skyward like an arrow.

Once the victory over the snow has been achieved, the straightness of this tree is unmatched by any other tree in the region. In the summer, you can see the gnarled and misshapen lower part of the tree. But the straight, vertical growth is visible year-round.

We are a bit the same as this tree. No matter what our past and early beginnings are like, we undergo a complete change when we come to Jesus. We can overcome great obstacles when we persevere.

So, what is like to persevere in Christ? We start by beginning each day by dedicating it to Him, followed by ending each day in thanksgiving to Him. To look and compare everything we do on a moment-by-moment basis to the plumbline of Christ’s presence in our lives. That’s called Spirit-filled living.

Living the vision of Christ takes strong perseverence. It’s not successes nor failures that make the biggest difference, but rather our love for Christ. Nothing in our past, present or future can truly separate us from Christ if we are willing to persevere in faith.

Reflection copyright © 2021 Doug DeBolt and Charles Fulton..