Daily Scripture: Philippians 3:3-14
3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh – 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What 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. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and 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. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Pressing on Toward the Goal
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Read additional translations at Biblegateway.com or youversion.com
Reflection Questions:
Paul didn’t just talk about the humility of Jesus. He was living into that himself. It’s easy to forget that before he met Jesus, Paul had a promising career as a member of the Jewish ruling council. “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done” (verse 7, New Living Translation).
- Though Paul had other lesser goals and dreams (e.g. Romans 15:23-28), what words does he use to express the greatest goal in his life? What changed in his attitudes and his way of living when he made knowing Christ his supreme goal? On your list of personal goals, where does knowing Christ rank?
- Verses 8-9 say “all I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him” (The Message). What basis for self-worth (other than relying on his own accomplishments) did Paul claim? To what extent are you able to find your value where he did?
Read Correy Trupp’s insights on today’s scripture at gpsinsights.wordpress.com
Weekly Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you were compassionate with people who saw themselves too often as “being” wrong and bad, as missing the mark. You were honest with people who proudly saw themselves as “being” right and good, always hitting that mark. Be an accurate mirror to me, Lord, reflecting who I am and where I need your grace and instruction in my life. Amen.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, TODAY’S NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society®. Used by permission of International Bible Society®. All rights reserved worldwide.
