Winning the Prize

Scripture: Philippians 3:14 (NIV)

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Devotion:

Paul loved the image of a runner. Here he pictures a man in the final stretch, leaning forward, every muscle straining toward the finish line. He describes his Christian life this way: a race run with all his strength, not a leisurely stroll.

We should understand this verse in the context in which it occurs. Immediately before this, Paul regards all his religious qualifications as "garbage" in order that he might "gain Christ and be found in him" (verses 8–9). The reference to winning a prize does not mean that it is about how one earns salvation; rather, he goes on to say, "to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me" (verse 12). The race starts by grace, since Christ first laid hold of Paul.

That is why Paul can run so hard. He is not running to be accepted. He runs because he has been accepted. We work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in us to will and to act to fulfill His good purpose (2:12–13). Grace does not make us passive. It sets us running.

Running well also requires "forgetting what is behind" (v. 13). Paul had much to forget: his proud achievements as a Pharisee and his shameful past as a persecutor of the church. Neither his successes nor his sins would define him. A runner who keeps looking over his shoulder will stumble. Some of us are weighed down by past failures, and others by past accomplishments. Both must be left behind.

And what is the prize? It is God's heavenward call in Christ, eternal life in His presence. Paul reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven, and that the Lord Jesus will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body (vv. 20–21). Above all, the prize is Christ Himself. Paul's deepest longing was "to know Christ" (v. 10).

Your race today may be long, uphill, or wearying. Whatever it looks like, keep your eyes on the finish line. The One who called you will bring you home.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You that in Christ You took hold of us before we ever sought You. Free us from the weight of past failures and the pride of past successes. Give us strength to press on with perseverance, our eyes fixed on Jesus. Keep us faithful until we reach the goal, and grant us at last the prize of knowing Christ fully and dwelling with Him forever. In His name we pray. Amen.