{Joy Day 20} Counted as Loss for the Sake of Christ

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count 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 that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.

Philippians 3:7-9, emphasis added

“Count everything as loss” … Paul speaks the language of surrender, doesn’t he?   Sadly, it’s a dialect few of us really grasp in modern Christianity.   Can you imagine counting as loss your family, your reputation, your career, your education?  Leaving behind the things you worked hard to gain so that you can gain something you can never earn or deserve … that’s the message of grace.   Paul was respected, trusted, probably even revered … he was the guy everyone was watching.  Then He met Jesus.   He went from holding the robe of Stephen (Acts 7:58) to barely surviving being stoned himself (Acts 14:19).   Paul was willing to lay down everything, even his very life, for the sake of Christ.   Far too often, we’re not even willing to lay down an hour of time to attend a Bible study.   Perhaps it’s time we asked for a hunger for the language of surrender.

Jesus, Name above all names, You have given us everything.  Forgive us when we hold on to nothing believing we have something.    Teach us the language of surrender … the nuances and minutiea of counting as loss the things we once held dear.   We want to know  You, to experience the fullness of following You.   We realize that only comes as we surrender ourselves to Your Spirit.   Grant us that desire, that longing, that passion.   In Your Name we pray, Amen.

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What really matters?  Knowing Jesus …. will you listen?

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