How to Find a Life of Real Worth (A November to Remember — 11.9-2014)
Today’s Scripture — 11.9.2014
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. ~ Philippians 3:7-10
Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. ~ The Message paraphrase
Saul had it all.
Status. Education. Some impressive DNA. A rock-star resume. Ambition. Clout. And this incredible ability to follow all the rules, like a soldier. “Faultless,” he once called himself.
But then, he got knocked to the ground. And he couldn’t see for a few days after.
Sometimes, a face-plant into the dirt is the best way to humble the hurried and the harried.
Saul met Jesus. Down there in the dirt. That changed everything.
Suddenly? His resume and degrees could have been turned into bird-cage liners, for all he cared. “I consider them garbage,” he said.
His credentials? Dog dung.
His prestige? Garbage.
“I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,” Mr. Face-Plant wrote.
He traded clout for Christ. He traded personal safety, for a personal Savior. He traded legalism, for the unfailing love of the Lord. He even traded his name: Saul became Paul.
What about us?
What could we trade up for Christ? Maybe we all need a little face-plant, a few days of blindness, to begin to really see straight.
What is God telling you, while you’re there in the dirt?
Look. Look how God’s not stingy in the trade. Look how He takes our dog dung, and gives us Heaven. See how He takes our garbage, and gives us grace.
He doesn’t ask for our faultless legalism, our good name, our polished performances, our overcommitted schedules, or our half-baked intentions.
He asks for our hearts.
And in exchange?
He gives us His.
Happy Sunday, friends. May you live PreApproved today. Love, Jennifer
This post is part of our month-long series, “A November to Remember: Seeing Yourself Through God’s Eyes.
How You Can Be a Part of This Movement:
1 – Print out the Scripture sheets. (Click here for printable versions.) Each of the 30 daily Scriptures are quoted in Love Idol, and each one ties back in some way to our identity in Christ. (You don’t have to read the book to participate in this study. But of course, you’re welcome to!
2 – Find the passage assigned for today’s date.
3 – Consider how God is speaking to you. How does the verse help you remember who you really are, outside of all the cultural noise?
4 – Visit us on the blog, or the Love Idol movement page on Facebook, to share what the verse means to you.
5 – Share your insights on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or your blog, to add more soul to your scroll. #MoreSoulLessScroll
I’ll post my own response here on the blog every morning at 5 a.m. Sometimes, you’ll find a story, maybe a few short words, maybe a series of photos. That will happen every day, for all of November, God-willing.
Studies show that the best way to form a habit, is to NOT break the chain. Habits form if you keep at it, one day after the next after the next. After our 30 days, we may have created a new habit of Scripture before Scrolling – a habit that can take us into the Christmas season, and beyond.
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The Printables
(Download for printing from Google Drive)
Let this be the November that we remember who we really are: Loved. Preapproved. His.
Find all the posts in the November to Remember series by clicking here.
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Oh Jennifer, I did the face plant 4 years ago when I thought I had it all……….money, a great job, health and all the toys. Then I tasted dirt and realized I really had nothing. I then found Jesus and realized how much I had been missing out on in life. He filled me with an abundance of grace and an unfailing love. I am truly blessed to have rid myself of all that “garbage” in my life. Thanks for the reminder of how precious his love is. Have a wonderful Sunday 🙂
Love your testimony here, Ruth Ann. I’ve never considered I had much of this world’s goods, not in comparison to others who ‘seem’ to have it all. But FINALLY I am learning that all I DO have is HIS anyway. And He’s free to give AND take away whatever He deems necessary in order to get my attention. I’ve been face-planted in the dirt a couple of times myself. Like right now. LOVE Jennifer’s paraphrase: “Sometimes, a face-plant into the dirt is the best way to humble the hurried and the harried.” Amen to that!