TAKING HOLD OF JESUS
Philippians 3:12 Not 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.
In some ways I say, “What?” The Apostle Paul seems to be at the top of the lists of servants in Christ. He helped many to become Christians in his life, and multitudes more through his writings. His writings cover a major part of the New Testament, and from them we much of our doctrine or beliefs regarding the Christian faith. Yet, we know he was not perfect. None of us are as long as we are living in this physical body. When we die and go to be with Jesus, I Corinthians 15:1-58 tells of how in a twinkling of an eye we will be made perfect just like Jesus. It is a day that all Christians look forward to with excited expectation. But until then we need to do as Paul said of himself, and that is to keep pressing on to take hold of what Jesus took hold of him for.
Sometimes Christians struggle with this. If they are not in full time ministry they tend to think little of themselves fearing that Jesus will look down on them in disappointment. In reality this is far from what will happen. For every Christian, I believe that there will only be love in Jesus’ eyes, and joy in his heart as we stand before him. Being a Christian is not in what we do, but rather whose we are. We are the Bride of Christ and the children of God. Like with the gifts of the Holy Spirit being many, so are the opportunities for the Christian. Serving is honor and privilege. It is not something we have to do, but rather something we get to do! Jesus appreciates all that is done for him. When you wipe the nose of a little child or changed a diaper, you have touched the heart of Jesus. When you share you love for Jesus with a neighbor, he is just as blessed and pleased as he is with Billy Graham’s great ministry.
The important point is that we keep pressing on. Life is very fragile and short even if we life to be a hundred. The other day I was with my mother, and she is 94 years young. She was telling me that she wished she could work with her flowers and other things that she did when she was young like driving her hot rod Mustang! I told her that I admired her and all that she still does, and that on her 100th birthday we would have to have a great party and we could dance at it. She just smiled, then about an hour or so later she told me that she had decided to go ahead to 100, so we could have that party and dance. Then she told me we could dance the polka. I laughed because I don’t think she or I have ever danced the poka or know how! A few days ago I called to check on her and she had been out trimming the hedges and weeding the flower bed. I told her not to over do, and she laughed and said she had plenty of gas in her tank yet. I think that she is right!
How much gas do you have in your tank? Now I am not talking about going on a mission trip to build a house or something like that, but where's level of passion and love for Jesus? Remember he didn’t come to suffer on Calvary's cross to find someone to build a giant cathedral. He came to redeem what he had lost, and that was a loving, personal, intimate relationship with him. How much time so you spend thinking about him and talking to him? Do you still enjoy reading the Bible and praising him for all that he did in it? Do you think about his love for you, and how wonderful eternity will be with him? Do you sit with him in the stillness of the sunrise, or the sunset and listen to the birds sing his praise? I think these things is where we will find perfection and fulfillment, because that’s where we will find Jesus!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, how we love you! Thank you for loving us! Please help us to enjoy you to the very uttermost. We ask this in your holy name.
