Daily Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:13-14 KJV
Philippians 3:13-14 KJV
(13) Brethren, 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,
(14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Today’s Devotional Is THE CHRISTIAN IDEA
AN IDEAL can be a mental concept of character that we want to mold our lives. It is the mural we create in our souls, which we look at every day. As the eyes educate the heart, our hearts become more assimilate to what we admire.
Our Ideal should not be beyond our reach. It is important to be ready to exert our muscles and test our willpower in order to achieve something that those closest to us would never have imagined possible. We must, like St. Paul, consider the ordinary ambitions and goals of men as dung. We must let go of the past and move forward, just like St. Paul.
As an objective, we should pick an ideal that is clearly within our reach, either in our own judgement or the judgment of others. It is wrong to place before our eyes an ideal that is completely out of tune with our natural makeup. We should therefore learn to say, with the Apostle: “I continue to seek that which was captured by Christ Jesus.” You can be certain that God created you and has redeemed your soul for a specific purpose. Find that purpose and commit to it.
The Ideal should bring unity to all aspects of life. Happy is the man who can carry out his ideal throughout every hour of consciousness and can say, “This is what I do!” These people are irresistible. People who are able to master a single subject or put all of their efforts into pursuing one goal will be able to carry everything. You can pursue the pursuit of a holy character in any and all circumstances. We can become more like Christ through every thought and act.
The highest ideal is Christ. “That I may find Christ and gain Christ.” Such an ideal can only be realized if you are willing to sacrifice yourself. To get Him, you must let go of your righteousness; you must be open to the possibility that all things will fall apart; you must also ignore the immeasurable demands of passion. You must prepare for the day when even the “body of your humiliation”, will be transformed into the glory of Christ. His work is at your side; He will subdue everything to you.
PRAYER for Today
Thou, Christ, art all that I desire. Let Thy grace be abundant towards me so that I can have all the sufficiency necessary to do every good deed. AMEN.