But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ... that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. —Philippians 3:7-8, 10, NKJV
Paul gave an autobiographical look at what motivated him. Without apology, Paul pointed us to the necessity of fierce abandonment for the sake of one thing. Paul was not saying that he suffered these things to earn Jesus's approval, but that in forsaking them, he removed what hindered his ability to experience Jesus to the fullest possible degree. He purposely narrowed his options. He willingly became a man of one thing. In verse 12, Paul revealed the inner activity of his soul: "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." The Lord Jesus laid hold of each one of us for a very specific reason. God had something in mind for you when you were born and when you were born again. Beloved, we will not accidentally lay hold of the highest things God has called us to. We must press into them, knowing that the devil will press back. We must lay hold of the prize, and the only way to accomplish that is by being individuals and churches of extravagant devotion to Jesus. No other kind of devotion will survive the onslaught of the enemy.
{ PRAYER STARTER }
Lord, when my life draws to a close, may I be able, like Paul, to say I counted all things loss as I spent my life in learning how to know You more, to experience a greater intimacy with You, and to love You more.
Paul actually gloried in the privilege of having intimacy
with Jesus in suffering, which is a necessary
dimension of the kingdom of God.
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