Food For Thought

I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, 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 is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Philippians 3:8-10

These verses have been my focus lately. And what's interesting is that in some ministry team meetings this is what God has been pointing them to as well. Knowing Him.

One of my co-workers was sharing about a message she had listened to online about the will of God. She was hoping that the speaker would give her ways to discern God's will. However, the speaker spoke about the fact that knowing God's will is less about the will/direction and more about knowing God. It's so true.

As I have reflected on the past year, it is amazing to really see with clarity that our journey has been founded in our growing relationship with God. As we sought Him, got to know Him better and experienced Him, we then were able to sense His leading and direction for our lives.

God brought me to the passage above about two weeks ago. (I was going to blog about it last week, but that obviously did not happen.) And I have to admit I am glad it had taken this long to get my thoughts on "paper". I keep wrestling with the line in the first verse above that says "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."

"Everything a loss." EVERYTHING?? A LOSS??? I don't believe that this means that I have to give up everything I own or love, or that I have to abandon my family or ministry; but it does mean that there is something that takes precedence in my life before all of that. "KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD." I must seek to know Him with a greater passion and desire than anything else I do. He must be my priority. Knowing Him must win my time and my affection.

Reality: This is not even close in my life. I do truly want to live in this way, but it is not how I choose to live day in and day out. I want to know Him more. I want Him to be my priority. I want everything else in my life to lose a little of it's luster so I might know Christ and His power.

I believe that if this becomes the reality in my life, the joy and benefits will spill over into the areas of my life that remain important. I have once again been reminded of the fact that this life we have been called to live as Christ-followers is counter cultural and uncomfortable. It is not easy and it requires all that we are and have be surrendered to Him. I can't live this way without the help of the one I want to know. It is only by His power that I can get to a point where I am seeking Him above all else. Complete surrender to Christ. This is hard and scary for a control freak like me. But my very heart and soul cry out for that kind of intimate knowledge of my Lord.

"I want to know Christ!" What about you? What do these verses say to you? Are you allowing this world and the enemy to get you to believe that it is too hard? Are you buying into the lie that Christ doesn't have to be your priority? (I know I do, far more than I would like to admit.)