Philippians 3:12-16 - 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.13 Brothers and Sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

The year 2020 is down to mere hours. In the blink of an eye the calendar will flip over and instead of looking back at the year that was we will be looking forward at a year that will be. While many a buzzkill like to point out that the switch from one year to the next is placed without rhyme or reason, we can still look to it as a symbol of hope. New Year new you, New Year’s Resolutions, and any number of slogans that encourage us to enter this changed calendar with hope and vigor.

After the year we’ve had in 2020, it feels like we are putting a lot of pressure on 2021 to be the best year ever. We all know people that have their bucket lists ready for when quarantine and restrictions finally end. Oh, the places we’ll go, the people we’ll see, the things we will do! However, as you plan all these things do not neglect the person you will be.

Paul in his letter to the Philippians has just finished giving his resume. In the previous section, he tells them all the things that make him a “Hebrew of Hebrews.” He checks all the boxes of worldly righteousness. Rather than encouraging people to try and do the same, he tells them that it’s not enough. Rather than rest on his past accomplishments, Paul takes the humble position and says, forget all that because we all have a greater goal ahead that we can reach towards!

This new year, I hope your resolutions are more about the person you are striving to be instead black and white tasks you want to accomplish. I pray that you, “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Happy New Year!