Forgetting About the Things Behind
...and reaching for the things ahead.
Luke 22:1-6 | Philippians 3:12-16 | Gospels during Lent: Luke 17-18
Beginning today, we are going to slowly go through these next two chapters of Luke (22-23) for the next two weeks through Holy Week and up until Easter.
At this point in Luke, the path to the cross is quite set for Jesus. We’re going to see a gradual rejection of Christ from the religious leaders to the crowds to the disciples themselves.
In the meantime in Philippians, Paul continues to sit writing from prison. Circumstances and context matter. You almost wonder if this letter to the Church in Philippi was also a bit of self-encouragement for Paul.
Luke 22:1-6
The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called Passover, was approaching. The chief priests and the legal experts were looking for a way to kill Jesus, because they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve. He went out and discussed with the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard how he could hand Jesus over to them. They were delighted and arranged payment for him. He agreed and began looking for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them—a time when the crowds would be absent.
Philippians 3:12-16
It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already been perfected, but I pursue it, so that I may grab hold of it because Christ grabbed hold of me for just this purpose. Brothers and sisters, I myself don’t think I’ve reached it, but I do this one thing: I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me. The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus. So all of us who are spiritually mature should think this way, and if anyone thinks differently, God will reveal it to him or her. Only let’s live in a way that is consistent with whatever level we have reached.
Prayer
God,
It’s pretty hard to forget about the things behind me. Paul must have been rather ignorant or forgetful or aloof to encourage such things. Or maybe he was just strong in his faith. Either way, I am not the Apostle Paul.
But you knew that.
Often I want to think of the things ahead of me, but even anticipating them sometimes reminds me of how things went in the past. My mistakes. What I’ve done. What others have done. And yet, I’m mindful that Jesus had post-resurrection scars, but also that he didn’t go looking for Pilate and the religious leaders, seeking revenge. He surely could have.
So give me the faith of Paul and the compassion of Jesus, for myself and for others, as I live through this day. Remind me of the foundation upon which I stand, both those who’ve gone before me but also what you’ve done in my own life thus far. But help me to face forward, ready with hope for whatever may come.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.