Philippians 3:4b-14
...even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh.
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard 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 one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Reflection
It's not about me or what I have done or what I will do now or in the future. It's about what Christ has done. It's about the life, ministry, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus that brings me the faith and the hope that I need to continue on in this life and in this place. It's about the power of Jesus' resurrection that gives me the faith that I need to live on in the here and now.
So, I focus on the cross. I focus on Christ. I focus on the God that came to me to save me from myself and my sinfulness. I focus forward towards the heavenly call that God has called me to and has called all who come to believe in Jesus. God provides the faith and we believe and live our lives looking forward towards what God calls each one of us to do in the here and now.
The heavens are always there for us since Jesus died to save us. You and I are given the goal that Jesus has already achieved for us. We are free to live and enjoy our lives in the here and now. Yes enjoy... even in the midst of illness... even in the midst of suffering... even in the midst of pain... we are free to enjoy our lives. And enjoy we will, knowing that heaven is before us and Jesus return is soon and certain. We live in this joy of walking this earth with those God gives to us as we are given to them to comfort, love and serve.
Life is a joy to live and we are called to live in this joy and freedom that Jesus gave us out of his love for all people and for all creation.
Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPUP8jenE9I
Prayer
Lord, lead me and guide me this day as I serve, love and live with those you give to me as you lived, loved and served all of us. Teach us to focus on you and your call in our lives... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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