Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, 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 for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Devotion based on Philippians 3:12-14

“Citius, altius, fortius” is a Latin phrase meaning, “swifter, higher, stronger.” It is the motto of the Olympic games and does well to embody what our calling in Christ pursues.

Christ has placed us on the path of righteousness but still lets us run. Swifter, we flee from temptation. Higher, we stretch ourselves to practice Christ-like love. Stronger, we stand in the midst of suffering in this world. A shining example of this kind of fortitude was revealed in the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico.

A Tanzanian marathon runner named Akhwari was the last man to finish the marathon race. He arrived in the stadium staggering, limping, and finished his race long after the winner did. This, of course, prompted all kinds of post-race questions as to why he continued when he had no chance of winning.

He simply replied, “My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me to finish the race.”

A Christian who knew why God saved him and set him apart, the apostle Paul also spoke in similar terms, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me . . . I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12,14).

Through the sacrifice of his Son, God set the prize of heaven before us. Now in our life of faith in Jesus, we press on to take full possession of that for which God has taken hold of us.

Run, Christian, run. Finish the race.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.