The Key to Everything

February 19, 2020

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. Philippians 3:8-10

I can’t get away from this verse. As we have been studying Philippians, so many new insights or deepened meanings have come to me. “Everything else is worthless compared to the infinite value of knowing Christ.” When we say “Christ is everything to me," is that what we really mean? Do we understand what we are saying? Do we actually believe and act as though we believe that compared to knowing Jesus, everything else is a distant second?

In our choices and pursuits, our assessments and goals can seem quite different. We say things like, “I want to know how to be a great spouse, an awesome leader, a superb person, a terrific parent, an accomplished athlete. I want to know how to be very fit.” We sign up for classes, listen to podcasts, read books. We pursue those things with our time, money, and choices. Knowing Christ on a daily, practical basis seems to not come up on our radar as something to earnestly pursue. 

Paul was an earnest pursuer. He was emphatic. “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.” He knew the key to everything was found in a vital and growing relationship with Jesus. That’s far more than “making a decision” or “saying a prayer.” 

It’s very much like a marriage. Typically, we are initially attracted to someone physically and by their personality. We make a decision—we get married. But if initial attraction and a decision is all we have, our relationship will eventually grow stagnant and drift. It won’t have the fulfillment and joy we hoped. We must continue to pursue the relationship, valuing our spouse and our time together, seeking to know each other more in every season of life. If we don’t, we may stay together. We may never get divorced. But neither will we ever know what marriage is really meant to be. Pursuit of a lifelong, growing relationship is where the fulfillment and joy is found.

In our lives with Christ, if we only come to Him to experience forgiveness of sins, to have peace of mind, to make heaven—well, we will get that because Jesus is a promise-keeper. He keeps His word. But the relationship won’t be a fraction of what Jesus intended, not even close to what He died to provide. No where near what the power of His resurrection can do in us, for us, and through us if we immerse ourselves in knowing Him; if we pursue knowing Him.

Don’t you want that? Don’t you want Him in increasingly close relationship? Don’t you want to experience the power that raised Him from the dead working in you? This is how to fulfill your deepest desires, hopes, and dreams–pursuing Him and working together with Him. Your relationship with Him is what can take you to the potential He put in you when He created you. It’s “the hope of glory."

In Colossians1:27 Paul tells us that the most wonderful mystery is this: “Christ in you is the hope of glory.” 

I want to know Him.