Pressing On!

Yesterday I wrote that the Apostle Paul once famously talked about the need to keep "pressing on." I have mentioned before that our theme for my first summer in Kissimmee was Don't Look Back. We based that theme on the scripture found in Philippians 3:13-14: But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward the prize that is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Jesus Christ." We wanted the students in our ministry to focus on what lies ahead rather than the past, both in terms of our programs and their relationship with Jesus. So many times we feel that the sins that we have committed in our pasts somehow keep us separated from Jesus forever. Nothing could be further from the truth. With Jesus, my potential always trumps my past.Grace comes to us new everyday. Dwelling on our past sins may keep us from feeling connected to God, but that is because we have not forgiven ourselves. God is ready to love us and give us purpose this morning no matter how we may have failed Him last night. It is truly an amazing thing. But in order for us to accept this gift of grace, we have do do what Paul told us to do in the Philippians passage. We must forget what is behind us and press on toward a goal of living life with Jesus.

Years after the summer of 1994 and our Don't Look Back theme, the great band Relient K wrote a song about this scripture called Pressing On, and today I share it with you below. All of us can look back and see moments (or months!) that we would like to erase from our lives. Jesus does that for us. We just have to believe it! The lyrics to the song remind us that while God is always looking down on us, He is never "looking down" on us!  What a blessing! I encourage you to take the song's challenge: "To go back to where I was would just be wrong; I'm pressing on!" Have a blessed week everyone!

Because of Jesus,