PRESS FORWARD
The Session will be organizing yet another forum with the congregation on 13 Aug after the worship service. We have been committing the future of the church unto the Lord in prayer. In the next forum, we will need to make a determination on our plans and make concrete plans to be carried out. As a church, we must always have a forward-looking perspective in the ministry of the Gospel. No doubt, we learn from the history of the past. However, we cannot be so caught up in the past, such that we cannot move forward. The same applies to our lives as well. We must always strive towards the purpose and calling of God. The apostle Paul wrote, “13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). The words of Paul are instructive unto us in how we can run our spiritual race successfully. He reminds us to forget the things which are behind us. We must not let the things of the past hinder us in pressing forward.
First, we must learn to forget our past glory. Paul could easily boast about his past and on the great and mighty things which he had done for the Lord. No believer would dare to argue against him on such. What was his conclusion on his par-excellence resume? He concluded that all these were dung to him – whatever he had gained unto himself, he counted it loss for Christ (Phil. 3:7-8). My friends, have you let your past self-glory hindered you in your walk with the Lord? Do you boast about the great things which you have done for the Lord? If you do so, you would have robbed God of His glory. Let us take heed to the advice of Paul – forget the past of self-glory. If there be any glory, let it be unto the Lord (1Cor. 1:26-29). Do not let our past self-glory hinder God from using you for His glory.
Second, we must also forget our past of self-guilt. Many people are trapped by their past, especially when they have committed a wrong. The guilt of their sin will gnaw into their soul and eat them up. Moses was such a case. When God called Moses from the midst of the burning bush to lead the people out of Egypt, Moses was unable to shackle off his past guilt. His past guilt (of killing an Egyptian) has
immobilized him from being used by God. He was unable to move forward. This could happen to any of us as well. Perhaps, you have a made a mistake in the past. When the time comes where you can be actively serving the Lord, you are trapped by your guilt. Your guilt will remind you of your sins and you feel unworthy to serve the Lord. Eventually your walk with the Lord is hindered. Let it be known that there is no sin so small that God cannot see; but at the same time, there is also no sin so big that God cannot forgive. What you need to do is to confess your sin before the Lord and repent of it (1John 1:9). Submit yourself under His mighty hand. Learn to lean upon our Lord Jesus. Only Jesus can forgive you and take away the guilt of your sin.
Thus, we must learn to forget our past glory and guilt. If our eyes are focused only on the past, we will never be able to see the path ahead of us. That will not do, my friends. Instead, we must reach for things which are before us. We must focus on Jesus and His calling in our lives (Heb. 12:1-2). In our Christian race, we cannot focus on ourselves. Neither can we be so preoccupied with what other Christians are thinking and doing. If we focus on pleasing others in our race, we are bound to stumble. Instead, focus on Jesus, for He is the supreme example of our faith, for He is both the Author and Finisher of it. He is the Captain of our salvation, the Anchor of our faith and the Great Shepherd of our soul. He starts the faith in us, and He will ensure that our faith will be perfected in the day of our glorification. So, let us run with such encouragement and to press forward towards the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus.
To all of us, God has a purpose and plan for us. He has called us to live and serve Him, not just as pastors but in every vocation which you are in. All of us have a high calling God in Christ Jesus in our lives. Is your life focus on the Lord Jesus Christ? In all that you do in life, what is your purpose? Is it for Christ and Christ alone? Do you live a life to seek to please God and glorify Him? Or is it for your own glory and honour, for your own enjoyment and pleasure? God forbid!
May we learn to turn our eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face. Then, the things of this world will grow dim in the light of His glory and grace. Take heed to the advice of Paul – forget the things which are behind us, and reach forth to the things before us. Let us press forward to the prize that is before us. Press on. HCL.
