Devotional Thought – The Audacity of Christianity

18 Feb Devotional Thought – The Audacity of Christianity

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 

Christianity is no doubt an audacious faith! In fact, the mind of man with all of its machinations could never have dreamed of the heights of its aspirations. The religions of this world constantly seek their glory by looking to the past, but the faith of Christ forgets those things which are behind. In fact, in Christianity there is no past. It looks forward to the future, desires the coming day and presses forward for the prize.

Don’t think that this is a prideful religion. It certainly isn’t. In fact, it is the essence of true humility. It is actually my soul’s humility that prompts such aspiration. To be satisfied with what is behind, in my past, would be prideful. However, when I press forward and onward I do so because I realize how poor I really am.

The opposite of aspiration is pride.  Prides says, “I have many goods laid up for many years; I want to take my ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” Aspiration says, “If only I had wings like a dove, I would fly away and be at rest.”  Pride hunkers over taken treasures. Aspiration travels over land and sea to find the pearl of great price. Pride returns to the past and curls up in a comforter of complacency. Aspiration flies far into the future and stretches forward to those things that are before.

As a Christian, it is my poverty that propels me. It is true humility that lifts me to the heavenlies. It is the fact that I am nothing that makes me dare to hope for Him. It is from the tomb of my past that I can climb to the dawn of a new day.  When I forget those things that are past, it is then that I can truly look to those things that are before.