REJOICING IN MATURATION

REJOICING IN MATURITY

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Philippians [NLT] 3:1-15 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

Dear fellows,

  I’m writing to encourage you when examining yourselves to consider and rejoice in your maturation.

  It was grandson Michael that got me to thinking about this. Being 5 years old he of course didn’t articulate on the need to do so . . . it had to do with a container of chocolate milk.

  As his Mom and Dad work late hours some days, I’m privileged to pick Michael up from school. Then we do something we both enjoy, go to one of the many area playgrounds, watching sailors and wildlife at Lake Manawa, run errands, go to some store including Sherbondy’s nursery, and then always dine together.

  Yesterday we went to a favorite place, TSC (Tractor Supply) across the street from his school. While doing our usual educational question/answer testing-how-stuff-works how-was-it -made, Michael found some cool replica farm equipment and animal minatures he said he’d like to have for Christmas. With his knowing they would be closeted until then I purchased them. (An exercise by which he has learned patience.)

  Then off to Olive Garden we went: Chicken parmesan with salad for me and spaghetti with meatballs and chocolate milk for Michael.

  Always conversant with the wait people, we kept up a running conversation with the waitresses when they weren’t busy. As we were about to leave, one of the waitresses (Iowa native, just graduated from Creighton w/Political Science degree, no brothers, 2 younger sisters, all raised to take care of themselves, not married, presently w/o serious relationship, wants to go into PS research.) presented Michael with a second chocolate milk to take home with his leftovers.

  As I was about to pick up the chocolate milk Michael, in normal conversational tone, said “I’ll carry it Popop. You have tremors and could have one and the chocolate milk would fly all over the place.”

  This set me to thinking of my maturation; there was a time when, though saying nothing in response, I would have been huffy at hearing such truth. This in turn led me to thinking about how I no longer beat dead horses … which led me to further rejoicing in God’s maturing me in numerous areas of life.

  So, if you’re not doing so already, please do keep your eyes open for chocolate milk highlights in your life, and thank Him for them.  EBB4