保羅有強烈的動機。他的信仰建立在耶穌身上，而他的能力，則源自「上頭來的呼召」。保羅是一個有夢想的人，一個向目標前進的人，而且他也認識引領他不停前往的那位。但保羅也講方法的：

        1.他忘記過去。如果一個人，有任何理由懊悔過去，那就是保羅；特別是他早年對待基督徒的殘酷。保羅的行為都記在使徒行傳上：「掃羅仍向主的門徒，口吐威嚇兇殺的話……」（徒9：1）。但他寧願忘記他的過去，不是因為他是無情的，而是因為他已真正悔改了，並且知道自己已蒙赦免。

        2.他懷著夢想（「努力面前的」）。他甘願追尋遠大的目標，以擴充並挑戰自己的心。他拒絕了自滿與自卑的心態。

        3.他不斷向前（「向著標竿直跑」）。他有許多理由停頓下來。我們在哥林多後書讀到，他曾忍受許多氣憤、迫害、爭辯和生命威脅，比我們眾人所受的加在一起還多。他是一個工作的人，不是一個逃避的人。

        他忘記，他有夢想，不斷宣講。為什麼？因為他認為上頭來的呼召，比自己的生命還有價值。而且，他信靠耶穌──「因為知道我所信的是誰，也深信祂能保全我所交付祂的，直到那日」（提後1：12）。

        主耶穌，我們祈求您的幫助，使我們忘記背後，努力面前，要得上帝在基督裡，從上面召我來得的獎賞。向我們啟示您的思想，並且闡明我們必須追求的目標。奉耶穌基督的名禱告，阿們。

English

        Paul had powerful motivation. It was rooted in his belief in Jesus, and its energy was derived from his hope of "the upward call of God." Paul was a man with a dream, a man who was going somewhere — and he knew who was taking him there. But Paul was also methodical. He very effectively contributed to the upward call by determined effort. Here is how he analyzes his contribution:

        1. He forgets the past. If anyone had reason for regretting his past, it was Paul; especially as it related to his earlier treatment of Christians. Paul's behavior is recorded in the Book of Acts, "Then Saul, still breathing threats of murder against the disciples of the Lord . . ." (Acts 9:1). But he chose to forget his past, not because he was callous, but because he had truly repented and knew he'd been forgiven.

        2. He dreams a dream ("reaching forward to those things which are ahead"). He chooses to pursue the far horizon, to stretch his mind and challenge his heart. He rejects complacency and embraces vision.

        3. He keeps on going ("I press on . . ."). He had every reason to quit. As we've already seen in 2 Corinthians, he had undergone more aggravation, persecution, hassle, and life-threatening situations than all of us put together. He was a doer and no quitter.

        He forgets, he dreams, and he keeps on plugging. Why? Because he valued the upward call more than life itself. What's more, he trusted Jesus — "for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day"

        Lord Jesus, we pray for Your help in enabling us to forget those things that are behind and reach forward to those things that are ahead, the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Yourself. Reveal to us Your thoughts and clarify the goal for which we need to aim.