Over the last week, the short phrase press on kept passing through my thoughts. Whenever I hear repetitive words like these in my mind, I do a Word search so that I can better understand what the Lord might be speaking to my heart. The first "press on" verse that I looked up is probably a familiar one to us all.

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:14

What is Paul talking about in this emphatic statement of his? What is he leaving behind, and why is he straining forward? I think the answer can be found in the passage that comes just before this verse. Paul had just finished giving the reader his elaborate pedigree: he was...of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, as to the law, a Pharisee...(Phil 3:5). In other words, Paul was a man among men, a ruler of the law, as well as a strict rule follower. What he did defined who he was.

So is this religious reputation what Paul is choosing to forget? Yes, I believe it is. He continues to declare, But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death. Phil. 3:7, 10

Like Paul, we Christians must leave behind the suddle snare of rule-following religion, and press on to know the Person of Jesus Christ. So pressing on begins with sitting still. The religious man can't be still because his reputation is at stake. But the Born-Again-Man wouldn't miss sitting still with His Savior because there he finds out that he is already made righteous, and that his reputation is one of royalty.

So let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the down; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth. Hosea 6:3

The freeing truth is that when we are pressing on to know Christ, obedience then follows, just they way fruit is birthed from a healthy branch on a vine after a spring rain. If we are willing, He will graciously and beautifully use every bit of who we are, our strengths and our weaknesses, for the glory of His name. In our strengths, we will understand the power of His resurrection, and in our weaknesses, we will share His sufferings and become more like the One who suffered for the sake of others.

I will end with the same "press on" verse that I started with, except in the Message:

By no means am I an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward--to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. Phil. 3:14

God used two very different events this past weekend to speak one similar truth to my heart.

The first happening was the High School State Swim Meet. Friday and Saturday I stood on the pool deck as an assistant coach for Ravenwood High School. My favorite events in this Championship meet were the relays. The energy on both the pool deck and in the water was electric. One by one, with the support and encouragement of their teammates, each swimmer took his/her turn and gave 100% effort in their designated part of the race.

The second happening of the weekend was the 3rd grade Sunday School class at Fellowship Bible Church. Mac and I, as well as our kids, help teach this class. Recently, we have been learning about different missionaries that have furthered the spread of God's Word to the "ends of the earth." I will mention three of these people:

John Wycliffe--born 1320. In the face of much opposition from the Roman Catholic Church, Wycliffe successfully translated the Latin Bible into English so that the common man could read it for himself.

William Tyndale--born 1494. Tyndale, too, fought for the common man. He was determined to translate the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into English and make it available to all. In 1536, he was burned at the stake by power-hungry religious leaders. His last words were, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes." God heard and answered his faith-filled prayer; soon after his death, copies of English Bibles were put in all churches.

Gladys Aylward--born 1902. After being told by a mission organization that she was unqualified to be a missionary in China, Gladys went anyway, alone. God directed her to the Chinese orphans, and during World War II, she successfully lead 100 parentless children to safety as they fled from the Japanese soldiers. All the while, she told the children about the love of her Savior, Jesus Christ.

Now, what do these missionaries have to do with the High School State Swim meet? Great question. I believe these men and women of the faith, and many more like them, are on the same "relay team." Each missionary mentioned above, although living centuries apart, ran the same race. Their common bond was their heart's desire of proclaiming the gospel to a lost world. While they were "on", they gave 100% effort, until their last breath. Scripture attests to this idea:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith... (Hebrews 12:1-2).

So what about you and me today? Are we part of this "relay" team that has gone before us? Yes, I do believe it's our turn. As long as we have breath, we're "on". It is our day to proclaim the gospel to a lost world. You may not be the one to translate a Bible into a different language or lead orphans over a mountain, but what God asks you to do is just as "great"... pour out His love, and proclaim His Good News...to your neighbor, to your co-worker, to your family... to your world.

So dive in with me, my friend, it's our turn...not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord (Romans 12:11).

Below, I have written another devotional prayer that begins with "God, You are...". This one focuses on God's intentional concern for each of us as individuals. Praise Him with me:

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." Luke 19:5

God, You are Intentional. Just as you sent Noah a rainbow in the sky, and just as You sent Elijah bread in the mouths of ravens, You sweetly send Your love to me. Likewise, just as You waited by the well for the woman, and just as You called for the blind man to come, You also presented Yourself to me. Thank You, O God, for Your pursuing love. You guide me like a Shepherd through Your word, allowing me to graze on just what I need for each circumstance. And then, You send me reminders throughout the day letting me know that You are always with me. Yes, Your peaceful presence makes me smile; Your absolute action makes me laugh. I am awed that You are intimately acquainted with all my ways; and I am overwhelmed by Your alluring kindness. So, I will watch expectantly for You, O God. Your intentional love has become my inexpressible joy. Yes, my soul delights that You call me by name, and that I am Yours.

Genesis 9:8-9, 13; I Kings 17:6; John 4:4, 6-7; Mark 10:49; Matthew 28:20; Psalm 139:3; Hosea 2:14;Micah 7:7; Isaiah 43:1

For more prayers in this same format, go to www.respitefortheweary.com and see the side bar labeled "latest devotional prayers."

Recently, I have had the opportunity to research three great women of the past and the present who have inspired my personal walk with the Lord. These women, Ruth of the Bible, Corrie ten Boom, and Joni Eareckson Tada, all share the same Hope even though their life stories are extremely different, in both time periods and circumstances. We can glean something from each of their testimonies.

Ruth of the Bible is known for her faithful statement to her mother-in-law: Where you go I will go; where you stay I will stay; your people will be my people, and your God, my God (Ruth 1:16). This young Moabite women was willing to lay down all that was familiar and walk into a foreign land. Because of God's grace and Naomi's witness, Ruth fully embraced this unseen God of Israel as her own.... He had become her one true living hope.

Corrie ten Boom and her close-knit family chose to risk their own lives in order to hide Jews when Hitler invaded Holland during World War II. Sadly, on February 28, 1944, the whole family was caught and sent to a concentration camp because of their underground work. Corrie Ten Boom miraculously snuck her Bible into the camp, which became her and her sister's only living hope in the vast darkness of torture and despair. During this evil time, Corrie had to lay down all of her family through the death of the Nazi camps; yet, she herself walked out of the camp, with the living Hope.

In 1967, Joni Eareckson Tada dove into the water off of a pier in the Chesapeake Bay; from that point, her life was never the same. When her head hit the shallow ground, she broke her neck between the 4th and 5th cervical vertebrae, leaving her paralyzed to this very day. Over time, Joni learned to lay down her personal future and then "walk" with with the living Hope, trusting the Lord each step.

And the Hope of these women have left their mark on us today. Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David; so this God-worshipping Moabite woman is in the direct lineage of our Savior Jesus Christ. Corrie ten Boom, rather than carrying bitterness and revenge in her heart, has touched millions of lives by pouring out God's love with her story of forgiveness found in Christ alone. And Joni Eareckson Tada is currently an internationally acclaimed artist, author, and advocate, all of which are avenues in which she proclaims Jesus as both the Healer of brokenness and the Lover of souls.

What about you and me? Are we willing to lay down the familiar, possible family or friend relationships, and even our future dreams so that the gospel can be spread in ways that we could never do on our own? Although these women experienced great personal loss, their gain for the Kingdom is immeasurable. From my research, I found their common thread; I am convinced they would say, and even sing, these words in unison (someday they will):

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us. Romans 5:3-5

I pray you and I will carry these women's torches onward, as we walk with the Living Hope, Jesus Christ Himself, into 2012.

I wanted to take the opportunity to invite each of you to attend the next "Walking with Hope" gathering that will be held in my home. It will be a time of both refreshment and encouragement as we prepare to walk into the new year with the hope of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Please Come

to

"Walking with Hope into 2012"

Thursday, December 29th

6:30 - 8:00 pm

The Baxter Home

1765 Warren Hollow Road

Nolensville, TN 37135

chrisbax@united.net

Also, for Christmas reflections during this week, please visit www.respitefortheweary.com to find the links Celebrating Christmas and Who is this Jesus and Why did He Come. Thank you so much, readers, for your faithful support; I so appreciate each of you. Merry Christmas.

Isn't it interesting that when we start writing our thankful-list around this time of year, the physical gifts of the flesh seem to make it to the top? "Thank you for my health; thank you for my wealth; thank you for my happiness." These things are indeed reasons to thank our generous Giver; but I think God also waits with hopeful anticipation to hear thankful praises sung to Him of another kind.

I will explain with a picture and a passage. The passage is Psalm 103:1-5, and the picture is of two girls from Haiti 10 days after the earthquake shook their country in 2009. My husband Mac had to amputate their legs in order to save their lives. (When viewing the photo, please avoid "being thankful" that you are physically not these two girls; my point will be just the opposite. These girls have something deeper to teach us...about spiritual wholeness in the midst of physical brokenness.) Now listen to the psalmist sing and the picture speak:

Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits. (Notice this passage is about the "soul", not the "body.")

...Who pardons all your iniquities and heals all your diseases. (Just as the earthquake came in and crushed these girls' legs physically, sin came in and poisoned us spiritually. BUT, just as Mac compassionately severed the spread of the deadly gangrene, our Savior also lovingly stopped the flow of sin's crimson stain.)

...Who redeems your life from the pit; who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion. (Just as these two sweet girls were picked up from the rubble and ashes of a natural catastrophe and their wounds were wrapped with bandages of healing, our hearts, too, were gracefully grabbed from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son. Col. 1:13)

...Who satisfies your years with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. (The girl on the left would have died in the night if Mac had not gotten to her first; this picture was taken the next day--no fever, no sign of infection. We too, are on our spiritual deathbed until the Lord comes and breathes His Spirit, into our spirit, which sets us upright and full of Life!)

So let us praise Him for His lifetime benefits this Thanksgiving. May these benefits--"fits of goodness from above"-- be on the top of our list every morning. The paradox is that these intangible gifts are the only ones we can really hold onto. The single minded focus of tangible blessings have the propensity to become a deep disappoint for those who have them, and a mere mirage for those who don't.

Let His forgiveness, His redemption, and His good Spirit sink deep into your heart, and then...bless the Lord; with all that is within you, bless His holy name.