A Life Worthy

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect…(Philippians 3:12)

Whew!

Thanks, Paul.

I tell you, I am so very far from being the man I want to be that it gets downright depressing.  I think that if Paul had said, “I’m so glad I’ve arrived.  Perfection is just…perfect!” I would have crawled into the corner to suck my thumb and rock gently back and forth.

But he didn’t say that, did he?

Because Paul–even Paul–knew that the journey wouldn’t be over, that he wouldn’t be complete, until he stepped out of this body and into the arms of his Savior.  

The same goes for you, Beloved.

And me

Our time will come, we will be complete.

Until then, watch out for the potholes.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death… (Philippians 3:10)

Chances are, I will never be called on to physically die for the sake of Christ.

But if I am?

In the meantime, there are other kinds of death.

Christ’s death was the perfect act of submission to the Father.  

Can I submit?

Christ’s death was an acceptance of pain and guilt and shame he did not deserve.

Can I accept?

Christ’s death separated him from all the joys and pleasures of this world.

Can I let go?

Beloved, we don’t know the future. You may one day be called to give your blood for the sake of Christ. But I can guarantee that you’ve already been called to give your life for the sake of Christ.

Are you willing?

Am I?

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

I want to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection… (Philippians 3:10).

I wish I had some beautiful, powerful, poetic image for you this morning, but what I keep thinking of is…

He-Man, and the Masters of the Universe.

I…have…power!!!

So, for those of you who were not watching kid’s cartoons in the mid-80’s, He-Man was a burly boy named Prince Adam who would hold aloft his mighty sword, give his “I have power” cry, and suck down lightning from the sky. Said lightning would transform him from mild-mannered Adam into the mightiest of heroes.

Seriously…his name was Adam.

And he was transformed by power from on high.

And he defeated Skeletor, who is pretty much a death symbol, and who consorts with demonic henchmen, one of whom is a snake-guy.

I can’t believe I never saw this before…I’m gonna have to Google it.

If you want to stop following this blog now, I’ll understand.

Anyway, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that the resurrection is the most powerful event in history.

More powerful than Creation?

Yep.

The Crucifixion?

I think so.

More powerful than Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit home run in the 1988 World Series?

Oh, yes…even that.

When he rose from the grave, Jesus, in one fell swoop, ended the captivity of…well…everyone.  Death, the great enemy of all mankind, was crushed under the heel of the Son of God.

That’s power, my friend.

Beloved, do you understand that, right here, right now, smack in the middle of a Monday, you have that same power at work in you?

The power that broke Death in the world is breaking Death in your heart.

Don’t ask me how.  I have almost as much trouble with how as I do with why.

But I’m pretty good with is.

And it is, Beloved.

Happy Monday

…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 is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith  (Philippians 3:9).

I remember a book I read when I was a kid.  In it, Death was a regular guy whose job was to come collect your soul when you died. Good deeds from your life made your soul lighter; bad deeds made it heavier.  Mr. Death freed your soul and allowed it to float up to heaven or sink down to hell.

Good story–bad theology.

Two major problems from the perspective of Truth.  First, as we’ve already seen, your most righteous righteousness ain’t so righteous, so your soul–and mine–would float like balloons filled with mashed potatoes.  Second, God isn’t looking for a 51%-49% proposition. Anything less than perfection is an epic fail.

But Michael, I could never–

Exactly.

Aaaaaand…we’re back to Jesus.

Exactly.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things (Philippians 3:7-8).

Time for a heart check, Beloved of Christ.

Read the words again.

Slowly

Let them percolate.

And ask yourself: Would you willingly, joyfully, eagerly walk away from all that you have and do and are for the sake of Christ?

Easy to say…

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.