PHILIPPIANS 3:7–11 – But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
THEME OF THE DAY: ACCORDING TO OUR DESIRE. What are we passionate about in life? What energizes us? What holds great affection in our hearts? What drives us to expend exhausting effort in pursuing it because of the intense delight and enjoyment we gain from it? Well, it isn’t difficult to discover what such things are in our lives. In fact, if we were able to tag along with each other for a week and observe our lifestyle, we would clearly see what grips and moves us to devote time and energy in pursuing it. Without us saying a word, what we would give ourselves over to pursue reveals what our deepest desires and passions are in life. And that will always be true. According to desire will be our pursuits.
Well, in today’s scripture, we are “tagging along” with the Apostle Paul. It requires very little insight or discernment to determine what was the chief passion, pursuit, and purpose in his life. Actually, it wasn’t a “what” nor was it an “it”. Paul’s passion, pursuit, and purpose in life was knowing, fellowship, loving, serving, and enjoying the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing else rivaled Him. Nothing else replaced Him. Nothing else held affection in his heart above Him. He would use a graphic contrast to show his intense desire for Christ – “I count everything as rubbish that I might gain Christ.” The word “rubbish” means “dung, garbage, refuse.” It translates “solid animal waste.” That’s pretty graphic! But such is the comparison in the heart of a person who has met Christ, beheld the beauty of Christ. This person can no longer be attached to the “refuse, garbage” of this world and all it attractions. And that begs this serious but healthy question . . .
Does our passion and pursuit of Christ show any resemblance to what was in the heart and life of the Apostle Paul? As we ponder this question, let’s put something out there which is uncomfortable but necessary. What we read from the heart of Paul in today’s scripture is not some “super Christian” position only for a select few. What we are reading about is to be normative Christian living. Granted, we fall short in the pursuit, but we are without excuse in falling short of the passion for Christ.
The very words of the Apostle Paul define and illustrate a Christian longing and striving for obedience to the Great Commandment – And Jesus answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). But remember, it is an obedience fueled by first and foremost experiencing and being overwhelmed by God’s love. And that does make sense, doesn’t it? How can we not give ourselves over to be passionate and pursue the God who so loved us that He gave us Christ so we might love Him back? Remember, our passion and pursuit of the Lord will always be according to our desire for the Lord.
PRAYER: “Father, intensify my desire for You by showing me more of Your glorious Person.”
QUOTE: “We will only pursue Christ according to our desire for Christ. Low desires, little effort. Much desire, great effort”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim