Coffee With The Lord

This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I read a passage that brought back fond memories (and not so fond memories) of running my first marathon in Arkansas.  At the time the distance seemed “eternally” long (26.2 miles).  The weather was warm and it grew warmer… And as I ran my body grew more and more tired!  I’ve got to tell you, I wanted to quit, give up, and use the “sag wagon!” … But I didn’t – more than my desire to quit was my desire to cross the finish line!  So I “pressed on” and finished my first marathon (I’ve finished several since then)!

But there is a longer and much more important “race” that I’m running… It’s the “faith journey” on the way to heaven, and crossing the “finish line” successfully is vitally important!…  Here’s how Apostle Paul put it:

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, BUT I PRESS ON to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own…  One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL for THE PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS!” … OUR CITIZENSHIP [our goal – our “finish line”] IS IN HEAVEN, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself!” (Philippians 3:12-14, 20–21 ESV)

Hey, the journey – the “race” – is very long, and sometimes we get tired and discouraged and want to give up!  But we “press on!”  We don’t give up – we set our focus/our affections upon “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus!”

Thinking back to my first marathon – the finish line was worth it!  But “The upward call” – the hope of Heaven will be infinitely more worth it!  Take it from me, I intend to “press on” regardless!!

I enjoyed “Coffee with the Lord” this morning… Here’s just a wonderful “sip!”

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.  You are good and do good; teach me your statutes! … It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.  The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces!” (Psalm 119:67-68 & 71-72 ESV)

Ever hear this adage – “One person’s garbage is another person’s treasure”?

Now I’m not advocating “dumpster diving” – but it’s true.  What one person throws away, another person may find valuable.

On the other hand, a person may throw away and discard what they once treasured.  In my Bible reading today, that apparently is what Apostle Paul said he did… He took the adage I opened this devotional reflection with, and turned it on its head!  In fact, his adage might have gone like this:  “What I once treasured I came to consider loss!”

Here it is right out of the Bible:  Philippians 3:7–11 (ESV)

“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— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7–11 ESV)

All the accomplishments in life, all the position and prestige, all the devoted pursuit of righteousness through religious rigor, came to mean nothing to Paul because of “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ!”  Or as the NET version of the Bible translates it, “I regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus!”

I identify with Paul’s assessment of what matters in life – I embrace it!  And with the help and reminders of the Holy Spirit, I intend to guard my heart and examine my values to keep Jesus first!  How about you?