Press towards the mark!
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14 KJV)
There’s an old story about a kid who grew up in the back hills of Tennessee many years ago. While walking through the woods one day, he saw a big tree with something carved into its trunk. When he got closer he could clearly read what it said.
“Daniel Boon killed a bear clear up to there!” And next to Daniel’s message was a mark to indicate the size of the bear.
The odd thing, was that beneath Daniel Boon’s mark were a few other marks put there by other bear hunters. Apparently, Daniel was very famous for killing such a huge bear and therefore, whenever anyone else killed a bear in the area after that, they would drag it up to Daniel’s tree and press it up towards his mark to see how theirs compared with his. They would then carve their own name there and put their own mark under his to indicate the size of their bear.
I don’t know if the story is actually true, but it does illustrate a great point about living for Jesus.
Jesus is the mark we must press towards!
We are told to “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.” (Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT)
When you do this, you will be pressing towards the “prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” And, that’s a great promise!
Therefore…
“Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:6 ESV)
“You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:13-17 ESV)
Quotes:
“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” – Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 11:1 ESV)
“Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion - it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.” – Billy Graham