"And if I should live or die
Let me be found pursuing this prize
The One that alone satisfies
The treasure of Jesus."
[steven.curtis.chapman]
Although I am a bit late to join the bandwagon of "New Year's blog posts," here we go.
New Year's Eve has always been about gathering with family and friends, remembering everything that happened the previous year, counting your blessings, and anticipating what the next year has in store for you. With another year also brings a new round of anticipated New Year's resolutions we won't keep, despite how hard we try. Resolutions range from wanting to lose weight, go to the gym multiple times a week, get a 4.0 GPA, clean out your house, give money to the needy, or serve more in your local church. All of these are excellent temporary resolutions. But in reality, all of our earthy possessions and resolutions will one day be no more.
That is why my "New Year's resolution" is simple: to treasure Jesus.
"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I might gain Christ and be found in him." _Philippians 3:7-8
Treasuring Jesus means seeing the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ over everything else - over relationships, over money, over the perfect body, over everything. When you treasure Jesus you are denying yourself and no longer living for yourself, but living for Jesus. You are surrendering everything for Christ - no strings attached - because seeking and savoring Jesus is your greatest pleasure.
Am I a sinful human? Yes.
Will I fail at treasuring Jesus? Yes.
Will other things draw my eyes away from Jesus this year? Yes.
Will trials come that take away my affections for Jesus? Yes.
God does not promise you a happy, easy, fantastic 2014 year. John 16:33 tells us that "in the world you will have tribulation." Thankfully, the story doesn't end there. "But take heart; I have overcome the world." We can endure trials and tribulation because Jesus Christ knew suffering. He became our substitute, took our place of shame, and endured the eternal wrath of God on our behalf. And because God was satisfied by the payment made, we are freely justified by his grace. Grace is not something we merit. It is something that God freely gives. We don't deserve anything in this life - clothes, a roof over our heads, accessibility to food, ways of transportation. The only thing we deserve is death. But our death has died on Calvary in the person of Jesus. So when we hear 'it is finished' we can jump up and say 'hallelujah!'
In light of this truth, how can we not seek to make Christ our treasure? If we can trust God to save us from eternal damnation, we can certainly trust him to guide us faithfully this year every step of the way. Christ is worth an entire life's affection and devotion. Will you make him your treasure this year?
(coming up next: an update on my recent trip to Turkey)
