SCRIPTURE: Philippians 3
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. [Philippians 3:8]
What Paul claims here is the discovery of all those who choose to follow Jesus – that Jesus is the key to God, to life, to meaning and purpose.
The infinite value of knowing Jesus, the potential and the possibilities are endless.
Jesus is the ‘everything’ (fullness) of God wrapped up in a human body; the more we get to know Jesus, the more we get to know God.
Knowing Jesus will meet our deepest needs, more than any other person or thing or experience.
This is why everything else is worthless in comparison; marriage or money or material wealth are not worthless in themselves, but compared to the infinite fullness of God in Jesus, it is nothing.
This explains why so many people cling to these things or experiences, yet remain empty, disappointed.
But once we begin to know Jesus, those other things find their appropriate meaning and purpose and place.
No Jesus, no life; know Jesus, know life!
Its not that “things” have no value, but their value is only found and experienced in relation to God through Jesus.

And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. [John 17:3]
The way to have eternal life is to know God and Jesus.
The eternal life mentioned here is not just the future possibility of never dying, but the fullness of life as it was meant to be, the life that Adam and Eve were created to enjoy, the life they lost when they turned against God.
Eternal life is the same thing as the infinite value of knowing Jesus; it is life with God at the center, His fullness and love giving meaning and value to everything else.
What does this mean practically?
It means I can enjoy an eternal life quality in my marriage, if Jesus is at the center of it.
I can enjoy material wealth with infinite delight, if I enjoy it with and for the Lord.
All of life’s experiences can take on infinite, eternal dimensions when embraced and engaged in relationship to God, in fellowship with Jesus.
By having the Lord at the center, we will not cling to things to satisfy our deepest needs and desires; He will!
We will not need more and more to make us happy; we will be happy in Him, and with what we have!
We will not long for that one forbidden fruit, because we will be enjoying the whole garden with Him!

Paul is showing us the way to joy and contentment: seek the Lord as your deepest joy, and everything else will fall into its proper place; this requires a major shift in thinking, a radical commitment to desiring to know Jesus more than anything and anyone else.
For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. [Philippians 3:8-9] I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. [Philippians 3:10]
No Jesus, no life; know Jesus, know life!
Do I think this way? Do I feel this way? Do I long to know Jesus (and God) more than anything else?

PRAYER:
Lord, I do want to know You more, I want to desire You more than anything else. Spirit of Jesus, help me to echo Paul’s prayer as the deepest longing of my heart.