Paddling Home — Sunday Thought For The Day

The following was written for May 22, 2016, “Our Daily Bread” by David Roper:
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I like Reepicheep, C. S. Lewis’ tough little talking mouse in the Chronicles of Narnia series. Determined to reach the “utter East” and join the great lion Aslan [symbolic of Christ], Reepicheep declares his resolve: “While I may, I sail East in Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I row East in my coracle [small boat]. When that sinks, I shall paddle East with my four paws. Then, when I can swim no longer, if I have not yet reached Aslan’s Country, there shall I sink with my nose to the sunrise.”

Paul put it another way: “I press on toward the goal” (Phil. 3:14). His goal was to be like Jesus. Nothing else mattered. He admitted that he had much ground to cover but he would not give up until he attained that to which Jesus had called him.

None of us are what we should be, but we can, like the apostle, press and pray toward that goal. Like Paul we will always say, “I have not yet arrived.” Nevertheless, despite weakness, failure, and weariness we must press on (v. 12). But everything depends on God. Without Him we can do nothing!

God is with you, calling you onward. Keep paddling!

Lord, help us learn that we do not press on toward our goal by our own effort but through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Apart from You, we can do nothing. Work in us today, we pray.

God provides the power we need to persevere.

INSIGHT:
Paul wrote his letter to the church of Philippi in approximately ad 62 during a two-year prison sentence in either Rome or Ephesus. Besides Philemon, Philippians is Paul’s most personal and intimate letter. He is grateful for the church’s concern and thanks them for sending Epaphroditus with financial support.

READ:Philippians 3:12-16
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

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,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.