Pressing On Toward Christ

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God 

has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14

The Apostle Paul writes these words from a place of deep spiritual clarity. Once proud of his religious achievements, status, and learning, he now counts all of it as “loss” compared to “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus” (v. 8). What once defined him no longer holds power over him. Paul has discovered that faith is not about collecting spiritual credentials, but about growing in a living relationship with Jesus. To “know Christ” means more than knowing about Him—it is to share in His life, His suffering, His resurrection power, and His transforming grace (vv. 9–11). In Christ, Paul has found a righteousness that is not earned but received, not achieved but given.

Yet Paul is honest: he has not “arrived.” Though mature in faith, he refuses spiritual complacency. “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (v. 13), he chooses to live with holy focus. Past failures will not define him. Past successes will not distract him. His eyes are fixed on Christ alone. Like a runner leaning forward toward the finish line, Paul presses on with disciplined devotion. His life teaches us that spiritual growth is not about perfection, but perseverance—daily choosing Christ over comfort, obedience over ease, and faith over fear.

In verses 15–16, Paul invites all believers into this same mindset. Maturity is not measured by how much we know, but by how faithfully we walk in what God has already shown us. When we live with this “single-hearted pursuit,” God gently aligns our thinking, corrects our steps, and strengthens our resolve. The Christian life is a lifelong journey of grace—learning, falling, rising, repenting, trusting, and pressing forward. Our calling is not to look back in regret or sideways in comparison, but upward in hope, toward Christ who has first taken hold of us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the priceless gift of knowing Jesus Christ. Teach us to value Him above every earthly achievement, comfort, or reputation. Help us not to live in regret over the past or pride in our progress, but to walk humbly and faithfully with You each day. Give us grace to press on when the journey feels hard, strength to persevere when we feel weary, and joy in knowing that You are leading us home. Fix our hearts on Christ, our true prize.

In His name we pray. Amen.

One Mind, One Mission

 

Called Together in God’s Mission 

Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10–17

That all of you agree with one another… 

and that there be no divisions among you.”

 1 Corinthians 1:10

The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian church with urgent tenderness, pleading for a community “perfectly united in mind and thought.” He knew that the Church does not belong to personalities, preferences, or parties, but to Christ alone. When believers began forming spiritual “camps,” Paul asked his searching question: “Is Christ divided?” (v.13). William Barclay wisely observed, “A church divided is a church which has lost its essential nature.” Whenever pride, rivalry, or personal agendas enter our fellowship, the light of the Gospel is dimmed. Scripture reminds us that Christ has “made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier” (Ephesians 2:14), calling us to guard the unity He has already given.

True unity, however, is not uniformity. God does not erase our differences; He redeems them. We are called to be “of the same mind, having the same love” (Philippians 2:2), grounded in a shared surrender to Jesus as Lord. E. Stanley Jones wrote, “Unity is not something we create; it is something we discover when we are united in Christ.” At the foot of the cross, status, background, and achievement fade away. We stand together as sinners saved by grace, shaped into one body through “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). When we lay down the need to be right or recognized, we become a living testimony to the reconciling power of Christ.

Our shared unity fuels our shared mission. Paul reminds us that his calling was not to impress with eloquence, but to proclaim “the cross of Christ” (v.17), for it is there that God’s power is revealed. Donald Coggan reflected that the Church is most faithful when it “keeps Christ at the center and all else in its proper place.” When believers walk in humility, forgiveness, and love, the world sees a glimpse of God’s kingdom. Jesus prayed, “That they may all be one… so that the world may believe” (John 17:21). Our unity is not only for our own health—it is for the sake of our witness. As we choose cooperation over competition and grace over grievance, Christ’s light shines more clearly through us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for calling us into one family through the cross of Jesus Christ. Forgive us for the ways pride, preference, and impatience divide us. Fill us with Your Spirit of humility and love. Teach us to walk together in grace, to honor one another, and to serve Your purposes faithfully. Make us one in heart, mind, and mission, so that the world may see Your glory through an undivided Church.

Amen.

Called to Love and Shepherd

 

Reading: John 21:15–23

Simon son of John, do you love me? … Feed my sheep.” 

John 21:17

After Peter’s painful failure and public denial, Jesus does not meet him with accusation, but with a question of love. Three times He asks, “Do you love Me?”—not to shame him, but to heal him. With each confession, Jesus restores Peter and entrusts him with responsibility: “Feed My lambs… Take care of My sheep.” Before Peter is called to lead, serve, or suffer for Christ, he is first called to love Christ. As Scripture reminds us, “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). In God’s kingdom, devotion always comes before duty, and relationship always comes before responsibility.

N. T. Wright reminds us that all Christian service—whether quiet or visible, ordinary or extraordinary—is built on one foundation: a genuine love for Jesus. Even though we have failed Him many times, He continues to seek that love within us, inviting us to express it again, healing our past, and entrusting us with new work. This reflects Paul’s words, “If I have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2). Shepherding is demanding work. Sheep wander, resist guidance, grow fearful, and sometimes even turn against their shepherd. Caring for people is often slow, tiring, and emotionally costly. Yet only love makes such faithfulness possible. Without love, ministry becomes burdensome; with love, even difficult service becomes an act of worship.

When Jesus calls Peter to “feed” and “tend” His sheep, He invites him to share in His own patient, sacrificial care. Scripture declares, “The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1), and Jesus fulfills this promise when He says, “I am the good shepherd… I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:11). True shepherding involves protecting the vulnerable (Isaiah 40:11), restoring the fallen (Galatians 6:1), and persevering when growth is slow (Hebrews 13:17). Peter later urges believers, “Be shepherds of God’s flock… not lording it over them, but being examples” (1 Peter 5:2–3). Each of us is called to live this out in our families, friendships, churches, and communities—loving patiently, forgiving generously, and pointing faithfully to Christ, even when the work is hard.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for loving us first and restoring us by Your grace. Teach us to love Jesus deeply and to care for others faithfully. Give our family patience when shepherding is difficult, wisdom when decisions are unclear, and compassion when hearts are hurting. Make us gentle shepherds who serve with humility, perseverance, and joy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Practice:

Pray for someone God has entrusted to your care.

Called to Bless Others

Reading: 1 Peter 3:8–12

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. 

On the contrary, repay evil with blessing.” 

1 Peter 3:9

Reflection:

We are called to bless even when it is hard. 

Our calling shines brightest in how we treat others.

In a world that often rewards retaliation and sharp words, God calls His people to a higher way. Writing to believers facing pressure and misunderstanding, Peter urges them to live “in harmony with one another,” to be compassionate, humble, and tenderhearted (1 Peter 3:8). Instead of mirroring the spirit of the age, we are invited to reflect the character of Christ, who answered hostility with mercy and suffering with forgiveness. Our calling shines most clearly when kindness is costly and grace feels undeserved.

Trevor Hudson reminds us that Scripture distinguishes between bios life—our fragile, temporary existence—and zoe life—the eternal life God gives through Christ. When we turn toward Jesus in trust, “the life of the Eternal One flows into and through us,” reshaping our hearts by gospel values. We begin to see people as Jesus sees them and to love as He loves. This zoe life enables what once seemed impossible: blessing our enemies, forgiving those who have hurt us, and refusing to let anger rule our spirits (Ephesians 4:26; Matthew 5:44). What we cannot produce by effort, God forms within us by His Spirit.

To bless others, then, is not weakness but spiritual strength flowing from Christ’s life within us. As we choose gentle words over harsh ones and forgiveness over resentment, we become living witnesses to God’s transforming grace. Scripture assures us that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer” (1 Peter 3:12). Every act of kindness becomes part of His work of healing in a broken world. Today, let us look for simple ways to encourage, affirm, and extend grace, trusting that God will use even small acts to reflect His love.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of Your eternal life in Christ. Fill us with Your Spirit, that we may see others as You see them and respond with compassion and peace. Teach us to bless even when it is hard, and make our lives instruments of Your grace and kindness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Footnote:

In the New Testament, two Greek words are often used for “life.” Bios refers to our physical, everyday existence—our work, routines, and material concerns. Zoē refers to the spiritual and eternal life that comes from God through Christ. Jesus came not merely to improve our bios, but to fill it with His zoē (John 10:10), so that our ordinary lives may be transformed by His divine life within us.

Practice:

Speak encouragement to someone today.

Called to Holiness

Reading: 1 Peter 1:13–25

“Be holy because I am holy.” — 1 Peter 1:16

Holiness is often misunderstood as something distant, severe, or reserved for spiritual giants. Yet Peter presents it as a daily way of life rooted in grace. He urges us to “roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, and be ready to receive the gift” of God’s grace (1 Peter 1:13, MSG). Because we have been redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ” (v.19), our lives no longer belong to ourselves. We are invited to offer ourselves as “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1), shaped by gratitude rather than driven by obligation. Holiness begins not with heroic effort, but with humble surrender.

This simple obedience was beautifully lived out by Thérèse of Lisieux. In her convent, she lived with sisters who irritated her deeply. One constantly clicked her rosary during prayer. Another often spoke harshly to her. Yet instead of complaining, Thérèse chose a different way. She smiled at them, spoke kindly, prayed for them, and served them quietly. She once wrote, “I resolved to treat her as I would treat someone I loved very much.” This was holiness in action—not dramatic gestures, but small, hidden acts of love. In these unnoticed choices, she was simply doing God’s will.

What makes this calling even more wondrous is that God’s holiness does not keep Him at a distance. By His Spirit, He dwells within us, gently guiding, teaching, and shaping our hearts (John 14:26; Romans 8:14). Holiness is not cold perfection; it is warm, living communion with God. As Eugene Peterson reminds us, holiness is an “interior fire” that brings life and joy into ordinary faithfulness. As we walk closely with the Spirit, choosing love over irritation and obedience over self-will, we are “being transformed into His image” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Even our everyday responses begin to reflect His extraordinary grace.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for calling us to a holiness that is lived in love and faithfulness. Fill us with Your Spirit, that we may respond with patience, kindness, and humility. Teach us to do Your will in small, hidden ways, and to reflect the character of Jesus in every situation. Shape our hearts and our habits for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Called by Grace

Reading: Romans 1:1–7

We are called because of grace, not merit.

I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Romans 1:7 

The life of the Apostle Paul stands as a living testimony that God’s call is never a reward for our merit, but a miracle of His mercy. Once an enemy of Christ, Paul was transformed into “a servant of Christ Jesus,” set apart not by his achievements but by grace. He could say with humility, “I am what I am by the grace of God” (1 Corinthians 15:10). In Romans 1:6, he reminds believers that they are “called to belong to Jesus Christ,” showing that our identity is not something we earn, but something we receive. As Scripture declares, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8), proving that God’s love always moves toward us before we ever move toward Him.

Because we are “loved by God and called to be his holy people,” our daily walk changes from striving for approval into responding with gratitude. Paul’s greeting of “grace and peace” reveals the rhythm of Christian life: grace received first, peace flowing afterward. Through Christ, “we have peace with God” (Romans 5:1), not because of our performance, but because of His finished work. We do not work for a place at God’s table; we serve from a place already secured by His love. As Eugene Peterson observed, grace frees us from the exhausting need to prove ourselves.

When this truth settles in our hearts, it releases us from fear, comparison, and self-condemnation. We no longer serve to impress God, but to honor Him with thankful lives. Grace forgives our past and reshapes our future, training us “to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives” (Titus 2:11–12). Henri Nouwen reminds us that grace calls us “beloved” even when we feel unworthy. Like Paul, we discover that God’s mercy does not merely rescue us—it sends us, empowering us to extend to others the same compassion we have received.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for calling us by grace and not by merit. We praise You for loving us when we were weak and for giving us new life in Christ. Help us to rest in Your mercy, walk in Your peace, and serve with grateful hearts. May our lives reflect the grace we have received.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God’s Call, God’s Power

 

Availability Over Ability

Reading: Jeremiah 1:1–10

“Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ … 

You must go to everyone I send you to.” 

Jeremiah 1:7

When God first speaks to Jeremiah, He does not wait for him to feel confident, seasoned, or prepared. Instead, He tells him, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” Yet Jeremiah immediately points to his limitations: “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” Like him, we often wait for a surge of confidence or a polished résumé before we feel fit for God’s service. We focus on our lack of experience, our trembling voices, or our fear of failure, forgetting that God is not looking first for our expertise, but for our availability.

The beauty of God’s call is that it is anchored in His presence rather than our prowess. God does not argue with Jeremiah’s weakness; He answers it with His promise: “Do not be afraid… for I am with you.” Then He reaches out and touches Jeremiah’s mouth, saying, “I have put my words in your mouth.” The work does not rest on Jeremiah’s confidence but on God’s faithfulness. When God sends us, He also supplies us. When He calls, He equips. His power becomes most visible when we reach the end of our own resources and learn to depend fully on Him.

Today’s passage invites us to name the fears that keep us silent or hesitant—fear of rejection, fear of inadequacy, fear of getting it wrong. God does not dismiss these fears, but He refuses to let them define us. He reminds us that we were known before we were formed, shaped by His purpose, and sustained by His Spirit. As we surrender our “not enough” to His “more than enough,” He transforms our hesitation into obedience and our uncertainty into a courageous “yes.”

Practice

Name one fear or insecurity that holds you back—at home, at work, or in your relationships. Offer it honestly to God and ask Him to replace it with trust.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You that You do not call the equipped, but equip the called. Forgive us for the times we have let our fears shrink our obedience. Place Your words in our mouths and Your courage in our hearts today. Help us rely not on our own strength, but on Your constant presence. Amen.