God provides the power we need to persevere.

主必供应能力，让我们可以坚持到底。

One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Philippians 3:13

我只有一件事，就是忘记背后，努力面前的。-腓立比书3章13节

I like Reepicheep, C. S. Lewis’ tough little talking mouse in the Chronicles of Narnia series. Determined to reach the “utter East” and join the great lion Aslan [symbolic of Christ], Reepicheep declares his resolve: “While I may, I sail East in Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I row East in my coracle [small boat]. When that sinks, I shall paddle East with my four paws. Then, when I can swim no longer, if I have not yet reached Aslan’s Country, there shall I sink with my nose to the sunrise.”

我喜欢鲁益师《纳尼亚传奇》系列小说里的能言鼠，名为老脾气。他下定决心前往「极东之处」，加入伟大的狮王亚斯蓝（象征基督）的阵营。于是，他志气高昂地宣布他的决心：「我要搭大船黎明行者号出海往东方去。若是大船到不了，我就划小船过去。若是小船沉没，我就用四爪划水。若还没到亚斯蓝国度就力气耗尽，我就算沉下去，也要朝向日出之处。」

Paul put it another way: “I press on toward the goal" (Phil. 3:14). His goal was to be like Jesus. Nothing else mattered. He admitted that he had much ground to cover but he would not give up until he attained that to which Jesus had called him.

对于这种不屈不挠的决心，使徒保罗有另一种说法，那就是：「向着标竿直跑」（腓立比书3章14节） 。他的目标是效法耶稣，其余一切都无关紧要。他承认自己还有许多不足之处，但他绝不放弃，直到得着耶稣基督召他来得的奖赏。

None of us are what we should be, but we can, like the apostle, press and pray toward that goal. Like Paul we will always say, “I have not yet arrived." Nevertheless, despite weakness, failure, and weariness we must press on (v. 12). But everything depends on God. Without Him we can do nothing!

我们虽不完全，但我们也能像使徒保罗一样，透过祈祷努力地向着标竿直跑。我们也可以像保罗这样说：「我不是已经得着了。」尽管有软弱、失败和疲乏，我们仍竭力追求（12节） 。当然，主是我们唯一的倚靠，若离了主，我们什么都不能做！

God is with you, calling you onward. Keep paddling!   

上帝与你同在，呼召你前行，只管往前划吧！

Lord, help us learn that we do not press on toward our goal 

by our own effort but through prayer 

and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Apart from You, we can do nothing. 

Work in us today, we pray.

主啊，求祢教导我不靠自己的努力，
而是要祷告不懈，跟随圣灵直奔标竿。
若没有祢的帮助，我们什么都不能做。
求祢今日在我们里面动工。

Read:Philippians 3:12-16 New International Version (NIV)

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Paul’s Example

15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

腓立比书 3:12-16

12 这不是说我已经得着了，已经完全了，我乃是竭力追求，或者可以得着基督耶稣所以得着我的。

忘记背后努力面前的

13 弟兄们，我不是以为自己已经得着了，我只有一件事，就是忘记背后，努力面前的，14 向着标竿直跑，要得神在基督耶稣里从上面召我来得的奖赏。 15 所以我们中间凡是完全人，总要存这样的心；若在什么事上存别样的心，神也必以此指示你们。 16 然而我们到了什么地步，就当照着什么地步行。

整理：于姊妹