"Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 3:13-14
Paul uses the phrase “one thing” to bring focus and clarity to his calling. This phrase appears five times in the New International Version of the Bible—once in the verse above in Philippians and four times in the Gospels:
In Luke 10:42, Jesus says to Martha, “only one thing is needed.”
In both Luke 18:22 and Mark 10:21, Jesus tells the rich man that he still lacks “one thing.”
In John 9:25, the blind man who was healed by Christ tells the Pharisees, “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
As competitors for Christ, the one thing that God desires is for us to focus on Him. The FCA Competitor’s Creed states: “I am a Competitor now and forever. I am made to strive, to strain, to stretch and to succeed in the arena of competition. I am a Christian Competitor and as such, I face my challenger with the face of Christ.”
The one thing that we need to focus on as competitors for Christ is the fact that we have been created in the likeness of God Almighty in order to bring glory to Him on and off the field. Period. Anything else takes our focus off the Master.
1. As a competitor, what makes it hard for you to keep your focus?
2. As you examine your walk with the Lord, what is one thing that prevents you from keeping your focus on the Lord?
3. What would you describe as the one thing on which the Lord wants you to focus?
Extra Reading: Luke 10:38-42; 18:18-30; John 9:13-34
Lord, there are so many things that take my focus off of You. Please forgive me for those times when I have not fixed my eyes on You. Help me, Lord, to focus on You alone when I compete. I desire to glorify You in all that I do. Amen
