Pursuing That Which Has Real Value

This morning I am letting Paul's reflection on the value of Christ Jesus wash over me.  Here are the famous verses from his letter to the Philippians 3:7-14 NIV:

[7] "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. [8] What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ [9] 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 on the basis of faith. [10] I want to know Christ---yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."

[12] "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

As I let these words fill my mind, I am aware of how far I have to go in my faith.  Not that I haven't made significant progress, but the reality is that there is still much more to experience and pursue.  It is like climbing a huge mountain and looking out, realizing that you have come a very long way up, then turning and looking at how much farther there is still to go.  I am not discouraged, but rather encouraged that after 40 years, there is still a vastness to be experienced.

I know I am not to the point that Paul was in his passionate pursuit of the Lord, where I consider everything else as garbage. I think some of that must come as one takes on a more eternal mindset, for it is in that reality that the true values of our lives is appropriately framed.  The houses, cars, jobs, material wealth, life accomplishments, all will matter little, if at all, in the eternal landscape.  It seems to me that the things that will last, e.g. relationships with family, connections with the Body of Christ, experiences of God's mercy, compassion and love, relationship with Christ Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit - those are the things that matter in eternity, and things we should value here.

As we embrace the Lord more, as Paul writes, other things become less and less valuable, until they become like garbage, worth almost nothing and easily jettisoned and walked away from.  Paul says he has lost all things for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus.  Anything that didn't aid him in his pursuit of the Lord was cast aside, or able to be thrown away. Paul wrote this as he looked back over the last many years of ministry, as he was writing this during his imprisonment in Rome, which ultimately ended in his martyrdom.  He had clearly left most everything for the sake of Jesus, and he was not looking back nostalgically, or with regret, but instead was looking back with a sense of thankfulness that he had been able to pursue that which has the greatest value, and able to continue to press on!

Oh, that I would be able to say the same thing in my life.  That I might have an eternal mindset and perspective, that I might pursue those things that really have value, and choose to lay aside anything that is worth less. I love that Paul knew his life was winding down, yet continued to pursue Christ with all the passion and energy he had, and that is how I want to be.  I don't want to coast in to the end, but rather be engaged in the ascent heavenward until my last day.

Amen!