MEMORY VERSE FOR MARCH 21-27 - Philippians 3:13

March 21 - Philippians 3:13 - Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

I tend to forget the things that I should remember, and remember the things I should forget. I can easily forget to run an errand for my wife. I can just as easily remember a sad event from my past that would be best forgotten.

In this verse Paul is still referring to what God has apprehended him for, conformity to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29, 1 John 3:2-3). Because he would one day be like Christ when he saw Him face to face, Paul strove to be more like Him every day. This should be our desire as well.

In striving for Christ-likeness Paul realized that he could not hold on to the past. He had to forget the failures and hurts of the past. He had to simply confess the sins of the past and move on. He also had to forgive those who had hurt him in the past and move on.

Not only did Paul need to forget the failures of the past, he had to forget the successes too. Dwelling too much on past victories would distract him from moving forward towards more Christ-likeness.

In forgetting the past, Paul reached forward towards what was in front of him, being more like Christ each day. He didn’t hang on to the past but reached for the future! May we do the same!