What has that week been full of?
Oh my, it has been the best week of the year (so far, when I come home from Germany it may be different). I have been...so encouraged and lifted up. Not only by camp counselors, but by the little campers too. Their little faces and their excitement for camp is absolutely adorable and can turn anyone's bad day around. It has been full of fun, full of laughter, full of friendship.
It has also been a time with Jesus.
Our camp theme was In Pursuit. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14
Man, those few words have such a ginormous meaning. I don't even know where to begin.
'I press toward the mark...'
Everyone in this world is searching for something. They search for that something in different places. Some search for something in love and relationships while others search for something in success and wealth. Then there are some who search for something in drinking themselves to death and killing their brain with drugs.
And then, there are some who have given up on searching for that something all together. Those who lay awake at night full of hatred for themselves more than a soul could fathom. Those who mutilate their flesh because they don't know what to do anymore and are so tired. Those who end up in hospitals because they did not succeed in taking their life. Those who wish they were dead so they didn't have to suffer. Those who don't even remember that there was something to search for.
I have been there. I have given up on searching for something. Oh, but dear, sweet, readers, I found that something. Please, do not give up on searching. That something the world is searching for? His name is Jesus. Precious Jesus. And my friends, He is right in front of all of us, waiting for us to open our eyes and see Him.
But, it doesn't sound like the writer has found Jesus. He is still pressing toward the mark. Why is that? Oh, that is because Jesus is so much that we can never fully find all of Him. Every single day we find more of Jesus. Every day, we see something magnificent about our Jesus. Granted, we don't always know what is right in front of us. That is why searching for Jesus is an ongoing pursuit. We can not find all of Him on this earth, but we do find part of Him, and that is worth more than any earthly relationship or success.
'...for the prize...'
Whoever is reading this, know that I am so excited. I am so excited because God's Word is so flawless...He knew that He created humans with a desire for accomplishment, so, being the infallible God He is, He gave us a prize. What could that prize be? We know that the mark we are pressing toward is Jesus. We are pursuing Him, to know Him, and be Him. What is this prize?
Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)
Righteousness is the prize. Humans strive for perfection. We strive for greatness, we strive to beat everyone else. The only way we could ever accomplish pure perfection is through Christ Himself. He wants us to become righteousness, because when we become righteousness, we become Him. Our '...high calling of God in Christ Jesus' is to be like Christ. And our pursuit of becoming like Christ has a prize, which is the so desired righteousness.
I encourage you, my few but loved readers:
Keep searching because He is there with arms wide open.
Strive to attain your prize because it is not unattainable, not when you have Jesus on your side.
Respond to that High Calling because it is the only thing in life we can pursue that will last us eternity.
Be like Jesus because He is so precious and loving, because He wants you.
Do not give up, keep pressing toward your mark, for you will attain your prize.
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