Theme for this week: “Moving On”
December 29, 2021 (Wednesday)
When Paul writes, “I’m pressing toward the goal..” he is declaring that his goal is the commendation of Christ, “Well done.” He was making a promise for the rest of his life, but in this series of blogs we are thinking uniquely of next year, 2022. Of course, the promise holds for the future, no matter how long that may be. But right now, for the sake of focusing on this last week of 2021 and looking toward the first week of 2022, what we say here is specifically about our service to Christ in the coming year.
Paul is in prison as he writes, but he has good reason to believe he will be released and is making plans to serve the Lord once he is free again. As you and I come to the end of 2021, we are looking forward to 2022 as an opportunity to continue serving the Lord, doing our very best to please the Lord. Paul uses the words, “pressing forward” to describe the energy and determination he is putting into his efforts for Christ. I pray that you and I share the desire he had to use all his strength to serve in whatever way Jesus wanted him to serve.
Are we intending to “press forward” and serve Christ in the days ahead? Paul’s use of the word, forward, reveals that he is already thinking about and preparing for more service to his Lord. If he were here with us today,the words he wrote to the Philippians would be appropriate words to us. For us it’s about 2022. What shall we do for Christ now?
A NEW LEAF
Helen Field Fischer
He came to my desk with a quivering lip
The lesson was done.
“Dear Teacher, I want a new leaf,” he said,
“I have spoiled this one.”
I took the old leaf, stained and blotted,
And gave him a new one all unspotted,
And into his sad eyes smiled,
“Do better, now, my child.”
I went to the throne with a quivering soul—
The Old Year was done.
“Dear Father, hast Thou a new leaf for me?
I have spoiled this one.”
He took the old leaf, stained and blotted,
And gave me a new one all unspotted,
And into my sad heart smiled,
“Do better, now, my child.”