Press ON

In all likelihood you are on this page today because it is your birthday. So, let me just say, happiest of birthdays to you!! It does not matter how old you may be today, there has been a time in each of our lives when we dreamed of what might be.

When I was in high school, I wanted to excel in basketball. I wanted to be the guy that would lead us to the state basketball tournaments. I wanted to hold that championship trophy and listen to the crowd cheer.

One of the things our basketball coach wanted us to do to get ready for the basketball season was to run cross country. I hated cross country running! My focus was to just get through practice as quickly and as painlessly as possible. Instead of running the course I would run through the woods, I would take every shortcut I could find so that I did not have to run as far. My focus was not endurance, I just wanted to complete the task with the least amount of energy.

On this your birthday, can I encourage you to look at your spiritual life? Do not live your life as I did on the cross-country course looking for every shortcut I could find. Instead live your life as the Apostle Paul did when he wrote… I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Paul compared his own pursuit of Christ to that of a runner in a race. He was under no illusion; he knew that it would take work. Paul is literally saying… “I continually bear down on the goal; my eyes are fixed on it.” Unless our focus, our commitment is the same, we will lose the purpose to run. We will be looking for short cuts, we will be losing our focus, and we will fall short of the prize that God has set before us.

Today commemorates that day God gave you your first breath of air. Today represents that day when God gave you life, to run the race for Him. So, enjoy this day, celebrate it with family and friends. And at the end of this day, reflect on your life to make sure that you are fulfilling the very calling God put on your life. That day when God gave you everything you would need to win your prize.

Happy birthday my friend!

Brian G

’54 / ’66 Columbia SC