The Prize

Philippians 3:8-11 "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!"

As I've grown older in the Lord, I've realized that Heaven isn't our prize. Eternal life is not the prize. Our reward is Jesus Christ—being with Him, in Him, like Him. Getting to know Him is the chief goal.

As we grow into Him, He will make us like Him. That is just so exciting to me. But thinking on this also begs some haunting questions of me: What is the object of my affection? Is it Jesus Christ and better knowledge of Him or is it my love of the flesh and fulfilling its desires? What is the driving passion in my life? What is it that my heart and my flesh follow after each day? Pray for me, as Paul prayed for the Philippians:

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."
—Philippians 1:9-11

All I once held dear, built my life upon,
all this world reveres and wars to own,
all I once thought gain I have counted loss,
spent and worthless now compared to this.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You.
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, You're the best, You're my joy,
my righteousness; and I love You, Lord.

Now my heart's desire is to know You more,
to be found in You and known as Yours,
to possess by faith what I could not earn,
all surpassing gift of righteousness.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You.
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, You're the best, You're my joy,
my righteousness; and I love You, Lord.

Oh, to know the pow'r of Your risen life,
and to know You in Your suffering,
to become like You in Your death,
My Lord, so with You to live and never die.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You.
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, You're the best, You're my joy,
my righteousness; and I love You, Lord.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You.
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, You're the best,
You're my joy, my righteousness;
You're my all, You're the best,
You're my joy, my righteousness;
You're my all, You're the best,
You're my joy, my righteousness;
and I love You, Lord.

—Graham Kendrick