Life is a journey. Though we may have tasted failures in the past year, Paul exhorts us that “we should forget what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (Phil 3:13). We can learn from our mistakes and move on as we begin this brand new year.
Though we may have tasted success, we should not rest on our laurels but press on to greater heights as what Paul exhorted us: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Phil 3:12).
I am sure many of us have set resolutions and goals that we hope to achieve in the New Year. No other goal is of greater value than setting yourself a goal to grow in your spiritual life. Paul has set us a very good example. His achievements are unexcelled.
Paul is unabashed in his own testimony. “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless” (Phil 3:4b-6).
Despite all these achievements, Paul says: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Phil 3:7-11).
Besides setting goals and resolutions to improve ourselves, be it in pursuit of excellence in our career as working adults, in our studies as students, in raising our children as parents, or in obedience to our parents as children, let us also set as a goal the pursuit of Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let us be mindful in all our pursuits of excellence, that we may give God first priority. Let us be faithful in our Quiet Time. Set the day right with God. Some suggest the Bible before Straits Times. Let us be faithful in our worship, fellowship and service. Let us commit to attending cell group meetings in 2014, to setting aside time once a month for fellowship and friendship. Someone once said that building friendship takes time and effort. Likewise, let us take time to build friendship among brethren in this coming year within our cell group. Let us put God first in all our pursuits in 2014. This is the promise from God in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”