But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control,  (Philippians 3:21).

He has the power.

He has everything under control.

And…he likes you.

So take a deep breath, and walk in confidence today.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ… (Philippians 3:20)

Eagerly

Like a little kid on the last day of school

Like a puppy at the back door when the neighbor’s cat is in the yard

Like an office worker at 4:59

That’s how you think I’d be, contemplating the arrival of the Most Important

Person Ever.

But I’m not…at least, not often.

Not enough

Oh, the reasons are many–busyness, stress, the surreality of it all.

But the fact remains

I’m not.

How about you?

Hey, whoa, look, I’m not going for guilt here.  You manufacture enough guilt on your own; you definitely don’t need my help.  Besides, we serve a God of redemption, of transformation, not of guilt. 

Then what are you doing, Michael?

I’m trying to remind you–us–that we can have that eagerness.  We can have that excitement. You see, the kid on Christmas morning is excited because he has been obsessing about these presents for weeks.  He has been thinking and wondering and imagining and picturing himself with his new Nifty Zoom 3000.  It’s filled his eight-year-old brain, the same way the neighbor’s cat fills the dog’s brain.

Such as it is.

So here’s the challenge, Beloved of Christ. Think about Him today. Not only in prayer, but in your mental down time. Your in-between moments. Imagine what it will be like when he comes to you, when he transforms you, when you stand before him clean and whole and forgiven and bathed in his perfect love. Dwell on it today, and see if that doesn’t produce a little eagerness.

But don’t drool.  Your dog can pull that off–you can’t.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved

But our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

I used to teach a class for my local community college.  It was for immigrants who want to become U.S. citizens.  We worked on English, US History, Civics…that kinda thing.  One of the questions I asked is why they wanted to become citizens in the first place.  The best answer I ever received was: 

I want to belong here. 

Ya, you betcha.

Citizenship means I belong, that no one can force me to leave this place that I call home.  There is no danger of being kicked out, because this is where I am supposed to be.  

We are citizens of heaven, Beloved.  We belong there.  No one can force us out or take away our right to an eternity with the One who knows us best and loves us most. We have the right to enter boldly, because it is our home.

I could make an illegal immigration analogy here, but I’ll resist…except to say that God’s border security is awfully tight.  There’s only the one way in.

Enter boldly, Beloved.  It is your right.

Happy Tuesday

For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is their shame. Their mind is on earthly things (Philippians 3:18-19).

Even with tears.

That’s the part that gets me.

Paul was not exulting over his enemies.  He wept over them, because he knew the truth.

They weren’t really his enemies.

They were Christ’s.

And as such, they were utterly, thoroughly lost.

We all know people like this, folks who are far more concerned with their stuff life than their spiritual life.  We shake our heads in their general direction, we sigh at their shallowness, we may even pity them.

But do we weep?

Do I weep?

Father God, give me your eyes, your tears, your heart today.  Let me care–no matter how much it hurts.

Happy Monday, Beloved

Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you  (Philippians 3:17).

To live a life so focused, so devoted to God, so dominated by His grace and His love that you can confidently call others to follow your example…

I want that.

At least, I want to want that.

For now, I’m still more of a “way pointer” than a “trail blazer.”

For now, but not forever.

That’s my prayer this morning.

Care to join me?

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Only let us live up to what we have already attained (Philippians 3:16).

There’s so much I don’t know.

It’s astonishing, really.

I mean, it could paralyze me if I really focus on it.

I know, because sometimes I do.

And yet

There’s so much I do know.  

I wonder…if I were to just do the things I know…to live up to what I do understand…

What would that look like?

What would I look like?

What would my world look like?

Nah, it couldn’t be that simple.

Could it?

Happy Thursday, Beloved

All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.  And if on some lesser point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you (Philippians 3:15).

It’s called majoring in the majors, and minoring in the minors.

If you believe that there is one God, who exists eternally in three persons

If you believe that you are made in God’s image, but are poisoned by sin beyond your ability to repair

If you believe that the Father, who made you and knows you and loves you, sent his Son to die in your place so that you might be free from the penalty of sin and restored to relationship with him

If you believe that Jesus, eternally God, became man

and lived

and died

and rose from the dead

so that you could be with him forever

Then you are my brother and my sister (well, one of the two).

Every other disagreement can be argued and debated and ultimately put on the shelf until we know more…until we are more.

Major in the majors today, Beloved.

Happy Wednesday

But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).

He came to be with us.

One day, at the end of all things, he will call us to be with him.

We will be…what we were always meant to be.

Complete

Whole

His

That’s the prize, Beloved.

You’ll get to be the real you.

Finally

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize… (Philippians 3:14)

I want to win.

I hope that doesn’t offend you.

I know it’s not polite to say these days, but I wanna destroy my opponent, crushing him to powder as I race to the finish line.  I want the gold medal, the big trophy, the attaboy certificate.

Over the years, I have won and I have lost, and lemme tell you: winning is eversomuchmorebetterer. 

Oh, and here’s the great thing: in order to win, I don’t need to defeat anybody

except 

myself.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal…  (Philippians 3:14).

Pick your sports analogy…

Football

Baseball

Soccer

Hockey

Lacrosse…I guess.

Imagine the athlete dodging through his opponents, evading the outstretched glove or grasping hands, bobbing and weaving and twisting and diving headlong toward the goal. All distractions burned away, the entire world has condensed into the space separating him from the prize he seeks.  

That’s you.

At least, it oughta be.

Eyes on the prize, Beloved.

Happy Friday