Holding Loosely

Philippians 3:8-14 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Wow what powerful words! Paul writes that everything in this life is not worth knowing Jesus, he even calls it a loss. He then writes that he has lost everything in order to know Christ. I truly have no idea what that is like. To lose everything for the sake of Christ. Oh I know what its like to no longer want to pursue the things of this world that I once had a desire to pursue. But to lose everything for Christ sake, no idea! To be honest I am not really sure I want to! However, in my spirit I would hope that unlike the rich man who was willing to part with this fortune in order to follow Christ that I would be willing to lay down those things and do what it takes to follow. Paul even calls them garbage, or in another translation dung, poop! I am not sure that Christ will call me to lose everything to follow Him, but I am sure that He calls me to hold loosely to everything in order to follow Him. Father today would you reveal anything to me that I am holding to tightly. Would you show me that I need to let go so that I can follow you so that I can like Paul press on toward the prize. Then give me strength to let go and follow you.