The Key to Single-minded Passion

UV 1131/10,000 The Key to Single-minded Passion
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,

Philippians 3 v 13

Paul revealed in this uni-verse the key to the single-minded passion with which He served Christ. He did not think that he had already arrived or achieved his goal of being like Christ. But he chose to forget the things of his past, both the good things and the evil. He forgot all the things that gave him a sense of identity and pride- his orthodox upbringing, his education, his intellectual attainments, his credentials. He even forgot all the things that brought him a sense of shame and pain. One thing however that he never seemed to forgive himself for was the way he led the Jews in persecuting the believers and followers of Christ. This made him declare that he was the worst of sinners. But he knew that the grace of Christ had absolved him of this guilt too. He forgot the former things as he knew that if he did not, he would be rendered ineffective by his double-mindedness, that he would be torn between guilt and pride, that he could neither be decisive nor productive for God or man.

Paul focussed all his energy and attention in pressing forward to do the expressed will of God. He did not fritter away his time or efforts but consolidated all his resources to obey the call of Christ upon his life. He worked hard to make tents to earn a living. Apart from that he focussed on communicating the great love of God for men and women of all races, cultures , languages, backgrounds demonstrated in Christ. He spent time in prayer, meditation and fasting. He undertook extensive travels in the then known world, reaching the farthest shores of Europe and Asia Minor. He was not deterred by threats, imprisonment, flogging, calamities and execution. He wrote elaborate letters to explain the basic truths and tenets of the faith.

We too need to forget our past triumphs, failures, bitterness, disappointments and regrets and focus on the high calling the Lord has given us. We are called to effectively communicate the love of God in Christ to all we can reach, both verbally and non-verbally, in speech and in writing, in our home town as well as in places we go to. We should keep reminding ourselves that we have not yet attained that to which the Lord has called us to. We must focus on that mark and keep reaching out to it. Our confidence should not stem from our own gifts or strength or past achievements. Neither should fear and diffidence arise from our past failures, weaknesses and limitations. Our traditions and associations should not be the source of our security. We should both demonstrate and exercise our commitment step by step, day by day. Our complete reliance should be on the leading of the Spirit, the grace of God, the effective dynamism of the Word of God, the resurrection power of Christ who called us from the utter hopelessness of death to the abundant joy of eternal life,from the sheer vanity of human philosophies and empty traditions to the exceeding excellence of personally knowing God.

Prateep V Philip