◄ What Does Philippians 3:8 Mean? ►

I wonder what value you put in certain things: your home, your family, your relationships, your job, your reputation, your achievements, your talents, your education, your safety, your bank balance? Well, the apostle Paul considered these things and everything else that life and living has to offer, as worth nothing by comparison with the surpassing value, joy, wonder, worth, and glory of knowing Christ Jesus.

Paul lost or lacked all these things and more besides, for the infinite excellency of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord. In Paul's estimation, knowing the Lord Jesus in an increasingly intimate and personal way was of far greater value that all that this world could offer, and yet right up until the end of his life, Paul's passion and greatest desire was to learn more of his Master and Lord: to KNOW Christ.

Before his conversion, Paul had all that this world could offer but, like Moses before him, he refused to be enticed by the benefits and advantages that this life had to offer, recognising that by comparison, knowing Christ Jesus was of paramount importance. And so, like Moses before him, Paul was prepared to suffer the loss of all things and to regard them as utter garbage, in order that he might gain Christ.

Let us take Paul's example to heart and recognise the immense worth and surpassing value, joy, wonder, and glory of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. May we be able to say with Paul: "I count all things to be loss, in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ."

Heavenly Father, I pray that my desire to know Christ may continue to grow and expand until, like Paul, I am able to consider that the loss of those things that I value and hold dear in life, as rubbish to me, in order that I may gain Christ. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.