I Want To Know Christ Better
I thought things like
that were for my benefit. But now I consider them to be nothing because of
Christ. Even more, I consider everything to be nothing compared to knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord. To know him is the best thing of all. Because of him I
have lost everything. But I consider all of it to be garbage so I can get to
know Christ. I want to be joined to him.
For me, being right
with God does not come from the law. It comes because I believe in Christ. It
comes from God. It is received by faith.
I want to know
Christ better. I want to know the power that raised him from the dead. I want
to share in his sufferings. I want to become like him by sharing in his death.
Then by God's grace I will rise from the dead.
I
have not yet received all of those things. I have not yet been made perfect.
But I move on to take hold of what Christ Jesus took hold of me for.
Brothers and sisters,
I don't consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I
do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me. I move
on toward the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The
heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself.
Philippians
3:7-14
The apostle Paul was
driven to excellence, in his own relationship to Jesus Christ. Paul also taught
balance. While we are never to be satisfied with our spiritual progress, we are
always to be content in Jesus Christ.
Learning to balance
contentment with a desire for excellence may be the forgotten key to our ongoing
spiritual growth and advancement.
Godliness
with contentment is great gain.
Our Daily Bread,