Day 3- Gains and Losses

Bible Reading– Philippians 3

Every smart business person doesn’t just want to be active in the market. They want to be able to point out profits on the other side of all the ‘marketeering’.

A first step towards that is usually being able to define what profit and loss really are. What are we out to achieve, really?

Life can get so fast that we can get so swamped and entirely miss the point of our pursuits. At this mid-point of the year, I think it’s really great to set our minds right with regards to what gains we are looking out for in all our activities for the rest off the year.

In our reading today, Paul comes really vulnerable with the Philippian Christians that he loves a lot and begins to leak out his life gain/loss consideration:

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ Philippians 3:8 

Did you notice that? Paul basically tells the Philippians, in the same way a business person would tell you he wants to gain money, ‘I want to gain Christ!’

And that really must be the believer’s reasoning- a strong desire to not just be swamped in activities, but that on the other side of it all, he can say, ‘I am counting gains- Christ!’

Would you earnestly desire and pray to see more of Christ in your experience in the second half of this year? Would you take steps and channel effort towards gaining Christ?

You can trace that thought of Paul seeking to gain Christ all through the entire chapter we read:

To gain Christ in the people we influence (v. 1-2, 17-19), to gain Christ in our worship (v.3-4), to gain Christ in all our ‘religious practices (v. 5-6), to gain Christ in the place of sacrifice (v 7-11), to gain Christ in all our efforts (v 12-14), to gain Christ as our ultimate hope (v. 20-21).

May we not just run an empty rat race and miss the point of everything. May we not just get swamped in rigorous activities and end up empty. May the rest of this year bring huge profiting, that we would gain Christ in a deeper and richer way!

As we wait on God today, would you pray for empowerment to take responsibility for your high calling, and a strong passion that refuses to live less or complacent.