https://odb.org/MY/2022/07/31/make-it-your-own-dawg
As we look to Paul’s life as an example for our own spiritual journey, we see that he started anew when he got to know Jesus. He considered all that he had learned as a Pharisee as nothing even though he used to take pride in his achievements. He started afresh in his new faith, not in terms of knowledge but in terms of achievements. Meaning to say what he had achieved previously was nothing to be proud of, just dung – everything a loss. Paul’s knowledge of the law and sculptures were essential in his crafting of the new testament theology based on the death and resurrection of Christ and yet what he had achieved in the past was nothing. He started again His walk with God by preaching Christ crucified and resurrected and thus his apostolic journey planting and building churches.
There is a sense that as we enter into the Kingdom of God, what we had achieved in the past whether as a student or a working adult, our excellent examination results or our work achievements, are nothing in the Kingdom of God. We need to start anew. The knowledge and experience gained are useful but what Christ has in store for us has no bearing on who we are or were in the world. Like Paul, we need to start again pressing on heavenward towards the goal Christ has for us, forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what is ahead. The Kingdom of God is a totally new and different world. It works on a different set of principles and motivations. Its goal is the salvation of mankind. It is not the revenue or EBITDA or PAT numbers. Not our sales. Not our profits. It is the souls and final destination of our friends and families.
Thus I fully agree with the suggestion by today’s ODB writer that we make it our own. As much as we look to Paul, David, Joshua and all the other great men of God in the bible, in the past and present, our spiritual journey is our own to make. We are who we are before God. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by God in His image to conform to His will. There are specific plans and purposes for us. We must forget what is behind and strive forward to grab hold of all that Christ has prepared for us that only we can take hold of. Don’t miss making our own mark in the Kingdom of Heaven. We all have a place, we just need to make it our own place! We have our own journey with all our idiosyncrasies, weaknesses and human frailty but with Christ in our lives, we will be restored and made anew and be that someone our Heavenly Father will be proud of. We could become all that we could ever be in Christ! Amen!
Ronnie's Thoughts 