Philippians 3:7-14

The passage is offered in paraphrase, which means I re-wrote it in my own words. You can open your Bible and read along, or try your own paraphrase. And there is a question here, or two, to help you think about what the scripture means to you. Give it a try.  

Day One

All those things that I used to take pride in seem meaningless now.

Compared to the greatness of knowing Christ, my little accomplishments and prideful efforts are of little importance. Even the good things in life don't matter. I've let go of so much, just to serve Christ. But I don't miss them. They have all the value to me of a bag of trash. The important thing is to know Christ.
 

Day Three

I want to be connected to Christ, so that everyone can see. I don't want to try to impress God. I want to live out the gift that God has given me, a righteousness that he provided, not something I could earn, but something given to me by God.

Philippians 3:9 

I want to experience the power that raised Jesus from the dead. I want to experience the same sufferings, if it means that I share in him. Let me be like him in my life, in death, and in the resurrection from the dead.  

 Philippians 3:10-11

I don't let myself think that I might be perfect or that I might have already received all that God will give. I move on, so that I can grasp the full measure of the gift that Christ first offered me.   

 Philippians 3:12

I don't pretend that I have already received all that. Instead, I turn my back on everything behind me and run headlong toward what is ahead of me. Like a runner in a race, I run toward the goal so that I might win the prize of an eternal and heavenly life in Christ.  

Philippians 3:13-14