“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…. Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12–14
There are few things in life which give me greater satisfaction than getting a great bargain. Finding such a bargain can be a tedious task. But when such tedious effort is rewarded with a truly great deal on something of great value, it can be so gratifying.
A recent example has been our purchase of a faux leather couch with recliners on each end. For some years now our family room has been home to a futon which we have had since very early in our marriage. That futon has provided many a night of uncomfortable sleep to our guests and many an evening of uncomfortable seating.
That is, until we were able to upgrade to a new leather recliner sofa. Sounds fancy, doesn’t it? Actually, though it was new, it wasn’t in new condition—for we found it in the scratch and dent section of a furniture store. At first glance, it was hard to see why. It looked like a great couch. Then I sat down and tried to work the recliner. The foot rest wouldn’t come out. Upon further inspection, it was clear that someone had dropped that couch on one corner (perhaps from a third story window), bending the metal frame.
However, the price was right—$50. We figured that even with a broken foot rest, it was still worth at least that much. Of course, in the back of my mind was the thought—I bet I can make that thing work. Sure enough, after we got it home, I pulled out my trusty maul and with a few solid whacks on the metal frame—we had a functional recliner. The mechanism doesn’t operate perfectly. But for $50, who is going to complain?
Of course, our recliner is nothing compared to some that are out there. Maybe you have seen the recliners with arms that flip up or a center cushion which lays down providing the perfect dinner tray and cup holder. And who has the strength to flip the lever on the foot rest after a long day’s work? That is why there are power recliners that recline at the push of a button. And why stop there when you can have one with heated seats, built in massage and maid service?
Then again, maybe we have taken this recliner thing a bit too far. I am not saying that it is wrong to enjoy comfortable seating. However, I think that reclining can too easily become a lifestyle. I wonder how much of our economy is driven by items we purchase to make our lives more comfortable, at ease, relaxed?
If anyone deserved a warm snuggie and a comfy recliner, it was Paul. As an aging man who had seen imprisonment, severe persecution, and travels that would make air travel today look like a little slice of heaven, Paul deserved to kick-back, relax, retire.
But retirement was not in Paul’s vocabulary. Instead, the words he uses above are “straining toward what is ahead.” The most literal meaning is to stretch toward something. For Paul, life was not about reclining, it was about stretching himself for Christ.
This captures well the central part of the vision for our church in 2013—“Faith-stretching pursuit of God’s will.” God is not the means to accomplishing my will. Nor does He exist to make my life as comfortable as possible. Such notions would have been appalling to Paul. For Paul, God was not a genie to be commanded, but a Lord to be served.
This truth is at the heart of our vision: to see ourselves as those called to actively carry out, each and every day, God’s will on earth. Though regular R&R has its place, the ultimate goal of life is not a comfy recliner, but hearing God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” When it comes to spiritual growth, may we not be found reclining, but stretching for Christ.
In Him, Pastor Dan