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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 toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:4b-14)
When faced with a challenge to his calling and purpose, Paul responded with a classic response at first; his pedigree. And he had an impressive one: So Jewish he was circumcised on the eighth day of his life as was required by his faith, "a member of the people of Israel," and he knew the tribe, Benjamin, and sums it up as a "Hebrew born of Hebrews." As to his faith in the law he had been a Pharisee. As to his energy and commitment to the faith, a persecutor of the church, and if questioned about his being righteous or not, he said, he was "blameless." Yet, he says, what does this count for if not for the power of Jesus Christ to make me realize the importance of having Him in my life? And it is because of that relationship I now have with Him that everything else has paled. I seek to know more and more about Jesus, and I want to know the power of His resurrection and all that He suffered for me, so that I may die like Him. And whatever may come after my death it will be because of Him and He only. And, I still have work to do, and toward that I press on.
What an attitude and perspective to have! Like Paul, we have been greatly blessed by our heritage, and upbringing; but what makes us even more special should be that we know and belong to Jesus Christ. With Him in our hearts whatever comes next we face with full faith and certainty, that we will be more than conquerors through Him. We know we have work to do and with Jesus' power and presence, we too press onward and upward, "for the prize of the heavily call of God in Christ Jesus."
Not sure of your call, ask. Pray today and see again what God would have you do, and be.
PRAYER: Lord, give me the faith of Paul, to seek You and You only. Help me to forget what lies behind, and help me to press on towards that to which You have called me; this I pray in Christ Jesus my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
PS I'm sorry I was not able to share a devotional yesterday, I have been having some issues with my eyes and I needed to rest and to return home, where I now am, asking your prayers. May the Lord bless you and keep you is my prayer.
