Pressing On in Christ

Toward a New Creation
Life on God's Terms

Death Becomes Life

Philippians 3:7-14  The Message

^7-9 The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness.
^10-11 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.

Focused on the Goal

^12-14 I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

For Reflection

Because of his intimate knowledge of Christ and God, Paul has given up all worldly aspirations.  Assigning them to the unimportant box, Paul elevates his mission to serve God to the highest level.  As should we.

Paul's mission was to spread God's word.  Our missions are  uniquely different.  Our worldly aspirations are of secondary importance to God's will --  that we guided in that interest by the Holy Spirit.  All of us are called to witness to the power of the Holy Spirit and to use our talents to that end.

Pray

that you will live as though you were in the presence of God.  Pray so that your life is a holy witness the the resurrection.  Pray so that you may bathe in the wisdom and creativity of God.