Press towards the mark!

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:14 KJV)

I heard an old story about a kid who grew up in the back hills of Tennessee many years ago. While walking through the woods one day, he saw a big tree with something carved into its trunk. When he got closer he could clearly read what it said.

"Daniel Boon killed a bear clear up to there!" And next to Daniel's message was a mark.

The odd thing, was that beneath Daniel Boon's mark, there were a few other marks put there by other bear hunters.

Apparently Daniel was very famous for killing such a huge bear, and therefore, whenever anyone else killed a bear in the area after that, theywould drag it up to Daniel's tree and press it up towards his mark to see how their's compared with his. They would then carve their own name and put their own mark under his.

I don't know if the story is actually true or not, but it does illustrate a great point about living for Jesus.

Jesus Himself is the mark that we must press towards!

We are told to "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ." (Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT)

When you do this, you will be pressing towards the "prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." And, that's a great promise!