Paul the Apostle, writing to the church at Phillipi, encouraged them to continue growing in Christlikeness through every season of their lives. He uses the image of an athlete in a race:
Philippians 3:13-15 (NIV)
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 for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
We are all running our own spiritual long-distance race and it’s important that we regularly reflect on where we’ve been and where we are going.
First, reflect on your own personal journey of following Jesus. Our stories are all unique because each one of us is unique, bearing the image of God.
- His Goodness
- His Faithfulness
- My Gratitude
- My Worship
- My Service
And then transition to this past week and the themes of our devotions and prayers.
What do they mean for our personal lives and the race we are running?
What do they mean for us individual as we find ourselves in a community of people – His church?
What do they mean for us as a community as we live out our lives together?
- What’s your next step? Bring your brick.
- Identify distractions. Don’t stop walking.
- Clarify your focus. Build a people who belong.
- Participate with people. Live your legacy through a Kingdom community.
- Pray to the promise keeper. Surrender your life to God’s sovereignty.