Hitch your Wagon to a Star

According to many word experts, the expression "hitch your wagon to a star" was used by famous American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson in 1862 in his essay “American Civilization.” Hitch means to join or attach. Wagon we know is a vehicle of transport that takes you from one place to another. Star is symbolic of something that is high and you aspire to reach. Hence if you set high goals for yourself and are really motivated to do something great then you are “hitching your wagon to a star.”

The Apostle Paul had a great and high goal as recorded in the book of Philippians. He had already been a successful Jewish religious leader. He had already achieved great success as a missionary and church planter. He was well respected by some and hated by others, but certainly had built a reputation for himself in many countries. But he desired more -- to be the person Jesus wanted him to be. Nothing more and nothing less. Look at his writings below:

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. 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

Paul was not going to let the past determine his future. Instead, no matter what came his way he would press on, strain toward, and reach for his goal -- to "take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of [him]." Heaven was his prize and nothing on earth was going to keep him from hitching his wagon to the real star - Jesus!

Mabry Mill
Blue Ridge Parkway, VA