Philippians 3:12

“Not that I have already obtained all this [knowing Christ fully], or have already been perfected, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

As humans, we are born into the world with a sinful nature. As Christians, we strive every day to become more like our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. But as sinful beings, we must acknowledge that on our own, we cannot reach God or His holy perfection. This is the work of the Holy Spirit within us. This should be an encouragement for doing the work of God.

As children, many of us learned to ride a bike or maybe how to roller skate. And we weren’t very good at it, when we first started to ride. But we all had someone who helped us get back up; they took hold of us. Philippians 3:12 tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ takes hold of us while we are learning to walk in His ways. Just like your parent or sibling took hold of you while you were learning to ride a bike. The first couple of times you fall, it can be discouraging. Just like recognizing the sin and shortcomings in your own life. It may feel like your instructor wants you to learn to ride more than you do! But as you start to get the hang of it, you take hold of their vision, their goal. Riding that bike becomes a passion for you after it was a passion for whomever was teaching you.

Jesus took hold of you to save your soul from sin and death. He’s there to pick you up every time. Don’t be discouraged because you are not where you would like to be in your walk with Christ. Take hold of the vision that Jesus has for you, because the Lord will never lead you astray, and our imperfections become inconsequential in light of His love.

This week, pray about how you can press on as a Christian to improve your walk with God. Meditate on the fact that He is with you every step of the way. If you are not a Christian, feel free to take a hold of this saving grace, which Jesus Christ gives to you.