Thursday, September 29, 2011

The one thing


There's a great movie from the past called "City Slickers." In it the character Curly Washburn, played by Jack Palance, advises the "City Slicker" played by Billy Crystal, to face his problems: by concentrating on the "one thing" that is most important in his life. It's a fun story of boys becoming men....even in mid-life. Curly's advice is still appropriate for a world of men and women who have never focused on the "one thing", the main thing that is most important.

This morning, as I read one of my favorite passages from Philippians 3, I came to these words,

Phil. 3: 7-11 Yet every advantage that I had gained I considered lost for Christ’s sake. Yes, and I look upon everything as loss compared with the overwhelming gain of knowing Jesus Christ my Lord. For his sake I did in actual fact suffer the loss of everything, but I considered it useless rubbish compared with being able to win Christ. For now my place is in him, and I am not dependent upon any of the self-achieved righteousness of the Law. God has given me that genuine righteousness which comes from faith in Christ. How changed are my ambitions! Now I long to know Christ and the power shown by his resurrection: now I long to share his sufferings, even to die as he died, so that I may perhaps attain as he did, the resurrection from the dead. (J.B. Phillips)

The one thing for Paul? Knowing Jesus Christ. That's it. All he aspired to, all he wanted was to know Christ.

The price? Whatever it took! The one thing most important to Paul was to know Christ. That insight is profound. It defined him, his choices, his passions and his life. It makes his choices and life easy to understand. His "one thing" drove his mission, his message and his walk. His "one thing" has changed, impacted and influenced the church and millions of other Christ followers for 2,000 years.

Part of every believer's odyssey is discovering the "one thing" that gives them purpose, focus, direction and meaning. Recently I asked what verse you would have as a tattoo if you had one verse to describe your walk with God. Some replied, the verses were different, but each defined "the one thing" most important for them.

For me these words from Paul are the "one thing" that is my passion.

I want to know him whatever the price.

2 comments:

Ann said...

Amen!! In our Precept Phil study we just finished studying Paul's 3rd journey and the impact of his passion really hits you. - his single-mindedness, his only goal was Jesus Christ and to be with Him. How to reflect that passion in our own lives is a monumental challenge!! Thank God all is grace!

Charlie said...

Thought about replying to that post even though about the only tat I've ever had, for one day in March many years ago, was a green clover on my earlob. Maybe the reply fits better here.

My first thought was Rom 8:28 but couldn't leave the rest of that chapter out.. book out... was about to be a full body tattoo. Then got to thinking what a wonderful tattoo he had waiting for me, freely given to me, that he wants any to see since we believe.