Press On

There were times when getting the client a trophy was extremely difficult. Weather was a big factor in hunting success as storms would roll in from the Bering Sea and pound us for days. Then there were weeks when even in good weather we could not find a caribou; it seemed they had disappeared from the earth. We would persist and press on hard to see the clients had a chance at a good trophy. Most of the time the extra effort paid off.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians about pressing on toward the goal to win the prize. Paul was in a Roman prison yet you would never know it by this letter. He didn’t have an exercise area or three meals a day; it was probably an underground rat infested dungeon.

What was the prize Paul was writing about? He was referring to his citizenship in Heaven through the sacrifice Jesus did on the cross. Even a Roman prison could not hold Paul back from praising God. Remember Paul was a Roman citizen and a Pharisee who had helped put Christians to death until he met Jesus face to face on the road to Damascus. Paul knew his life in prison was temporary and he would soon reside with the King of the universe.

What is your prize that you work hard about pressing on? For some it is financial gain or climbing the ladder of a vocation. Most of us spend our energy pursuing earthly goals and very little time looking eternally. Take some time this week and think about what is really important in life. Paul knew the prize was eternal life through Jesus; my prayer is that you do too.