(For my determined purpose is) that I may know Him (that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly)…Phil3:10 Amp
So far we’ve looked at the issue of character and how our character as women shapes our perspective in life. Next, we talked about knowing God and that being the hinge on which our high calling will be determined.
Knowing God is a life long journey! A woman who is most influencial for Christ in not one because she has the infinite God all figured out. Rest assured there is never a place in life when we finally arrive. But here’s what we can learn “knowing God” is about a driving passion, holy ambition, and magnificent obsession.
I can’t help but ask the obvious question. “How is this possible?” For some of us our first answer would be bible reading and prayer. Great answer! And yes, these are the essential elements to our growth as Christians. Let’s also be warned, we never move away from these essentials.
However, there was something more that Paul longed for. He wasn’t content with a cursory knowledge of God. He counted all things of no value, rubbish, dung… for the pursuit of knowing Christ.
When Paul embarked in becoming a follower of Christ, he ventured all in it, and suffered the loss of all for the privileges of knowing his Lord.
The apostle Paul not only counted everything prior to Christ as loss, but dung, skybala—offals thrown to dogs; they are not only less valuable than Christ, but in the highest degree contemptible, when they come in competition with him.
Women of God, let’s understand that this was a choice, a determined purpose in Paul’s life. If you and I want to live our earthly lives for God’s high calling it must be formed by daily choices. Choices that will strengthen (or weaken) our determined purpose.
Do you have a determined purpose? What is it? What do your daily choices say about your determined purpose? Where does “knowing Christ Jesus your Lord” fit in to who you are becoming?
