In His letter to the Philippians, Paul expressed these thoughts…

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The question for us this Holiday season is simply what are we pursuing?  There are so many trappings to get caught in… racking up debt, trying to outdo the neighbors, running here and there to get the best deal, on and on it goes.  Before we know it… we’ve missed the point!  The Holiday season is about family, friends and time… to slow down and reflect on all that we have been given… life, health, blessings, etc.

Another way to look at it, is that the Holiday season has “laid hold of us” for the purpose of making life better.  It’s up to us how we respond to the opportunity.  Will we pursue peace and great memories, relaxation and relationships or will we squander another season on things that won’t last and actually bring us regret and frustration?

The same parallel can be made in our spiritual journey… Christ Jesus “apprehended” us (laid hold of us) for a purpose.  Our “divine destiny”, if you will… You see, I believe that each of us has a specific plan or calling on our lives.  I think that there is something that God intends us to do, in a way that no one else can.  That is not to say that God’s ultimate plans and purposes won’t work out without our involvement… but it will look different if we “lay hold of that for which also we were laid hold of by Christ Jesus”.

We have to make a choice, just as we do with how we choose to spend our time and money during the Holiday season, about who will win the fight for our affections.  Christ’s desire is that we will choose to pursue His plan for us and that our affections, in other words our heart, our drive and our desires will be designated as His at the end of each and every day.  Make no mistake… there is a real battle for your affections going on.  In fact, Jesus warned Peter of this battle in Luke 22:31-32… 31“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail;”.

The internal war that we all face is based on who wins our affections… Will we pursue the trappings of the world, selfish gain and blind ambition that Satan makes so enticing?  Or, will we pursue the “prize of the upward call”?  The choice is ours to make and my prayer is that we will choose wisely.  The good news is this… even if we have made some regretful decisions, we can “forget what lies behind and reach for what lies ahead”!  It’s never too late to begin pursuing God and His calling for our lives.  Nor is ever too late to make new traditions with our families… so redeem this Holiday season and refocus “The Pursuit”!

#BeBlessed

~Brian