Higher Ground

Introduction

January 15th 2005 it began raining in Guyana. Most citizens in the city and the surrounding suburban areas went about their business as usual. It rained all night and by the next morning everyone knew that we were in for a major disaster. Homes were flooded, the pens of livestock were under water. Chickens, goats, sheep, pets and even cows had died by drowning. We were all unprepared because January is not the rainy season in Guyana. The meteorological office would advise that only 9 inches of rainfall is expected in January; but by the 25th 27 inches of rain had already fallen, and an estimated 100 000 citizens were seriously affected. Many lost all their material possessions and had to leave their homes and seek higher ground. My family lived on the upper flat of a split level house and we appreciated perhaps for the first time the value of living on higher ground in a country whose capital is about six feet below sea level.

Attaining Higher Ground

Philippians 3:14 ESV

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul captures vividly what “higher ground” should mean to a Christian. Lebron James is loved by many and hated by many. Most pundits of the great game of basketball opinions that for his skill and ability he is an under performer. Spectators do not care that basketball is a team sport once the team loses its the star player fault:- Jordan would have taken charge.

In the Christian experience when we fail to grow and mature in Christ we fail to reach higher ground. Christlikeness is our higher ground.

Johnson Oatman Jr. a Methodist captures our desire for spiritual growth in the song Higher Ground:

Amazing Grace—366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions 20. Higher Ground

I’m pressing on the upward way; new heights I’m gaining every day—Still praying as I’m onward bound, “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay; tho some may dwell where these abound, my prayer, my aim is higher ground.

I want to live above the world, tho Satan’s darts at me are hurled; for faith has caught the joyful sound, the song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height and catch a gleam of glory bright; but still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found, “Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”

Chorus: Lord, lift me up and let me stand by faith on heaven’s table-land; A higher plane than I have found—Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Paul in Philippians 3:14 uses athletic imagery to capture the attention of his audience. They were exposed to the athletic games of the Greeks who lived nearby.

Let us examine Paul’ testimony on how to attain higher ground.

Press: translated as pursue or follow after.

do not be distracted:- as a child I represented my schools in many disciplines including athletics. I remember once running the 5000 m. Three of us were in the race and I was last and every time I passed a particular point there was a young boy there who watched me full in my face and laughed. I ran 16 2/3 times around that track with his jeering laughter but I never stopped. So it must be in our quest for spiritual growth, ignore the nay Sayers, the insults, the gossips, even ignore the applause, do not stumble and if you do know that God is faithful and just; we must never stop until the prize is obtained.

Press towards the mark:- keep your eyes fixed on the goal or that which in the distance. In that 5000 m I felt like stopping and giving up but my school needed those points so I kept on running. Luke reminds us to ‘look up” for our redemption draws near.

Prize: the reward that the victors received.

The prize is the goal Paul’s goal is found in verses 10-12:-

the ultimate goal is knowing Christ’s resurrection power and

dwelling with Him in the age to come

In the race of the Christian everyone has the same opportunity to be victorious.

Higher Calling

the Greek literally means “upward calling” that sounds like a call to higher ground

this is a call to heaven that originated in heaven

Paul here suggests that this heavenly call is continuous:- it never ceases. John the revelator says of Jesus “behold I stand at the door and knock.......continuous call.

Jesus called us to repentance, at our conversion and still calls today.

The Call is Made in Christ

God calls us in the life and person of his Son, Jesus (John 3:16)

Jesus is our stimulus to Christlikeness

English Standard Version Chapter 12

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Many of us falter because we take our eyes off Jesus.

To become Christlike we need to Press towards the mark-keep our eyes on the prize:-which is a call to higher ground: knowing that Jesus is the one who evokes every action in us to be like him.