But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:7:11

Perhaps only first-world people will be able to relate to this. We spend our lives pursuing things. Even those who aren’t materialists will have an Achilles heel. There’s something out there that’s the end all, and when you finally get it, what you had before becomes immediately inferior and expendable. Kind of like young marrieds who have their first child, and used to plan their lives around a Goldendoodle.

To Paul, gaining Christ was the end all. Knowing him surpassed everything else. Past and present.

But unlike a dream car, the acquisition of Christ through faith is only one aspect of the salvation process. You’ve got him for sure, but there’s so much more to grasp!

Each day we should know a little more about him. Each day we should shed more personal effort and rely more on faith. Each day the difference in him and me should be less discernible.

This is our future.