My All In All

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44

I read that verse, and I have to wonder, am I pursuing the kingdom of heaven like that? Truly, the worth of knowing Christ, serving Christ, glorifying Christ, is worth giving up everything else. He is our treasure, our everything. Do we count all things loss for the excellence of knowing Christ, really knowing Him?

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:7-11

This song by Phil Wickham has been resonating with me lately:

My All In All

“In the desert You’re the river
An ever flowing stream of life
In the battle You’re the victor
We raise Your banner high

In the darkness You’re the fire
A holy flame for all to see
In my heart You reign forever
My all, my everything

You are my life you are my love
You are my reason
You are my hope you are my joy
You are my passion
My all in all Jesus my all in all
My all in all Jesus my all in all

In the tempest You’re the shelter
And I will hide beneath Your wings
Hallelujah what a Savior!
My all, my everything

Your name be high and lifted up
Jesus Your name be high and lifted up
Jesus Your name be high and lifted up
In all the earth, in all the earth”

If knowing Christ is our focus, glorifying God our mission, if He is our very life, our love, how does that change our daily lives?

“One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

Pressing toward the goal of knowing Christ & sharing His love with others won’t always be easy. We may not see the fruit we expect. So do we get our joy from our circumstances, or from Him?

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 14:11

Do we take pride in being holy, serving God, even pursuing God? Do we feel privileged because God is “using us”? Or are we truly lifting His name on high, not ours?

“God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written,“He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:27-31

If He is our reason, and He is enough, then practically, where do we look for strength, for wisdom, for answers?

“I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. . .it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works.” Psalm 73:23-28

These are real questions, questions I’m still wrestling with. It’s so easy to get distracted, even by good things. It’s so easy to either feel helpless and overwhelmed, like I can never reach what He’s calling me to. Or else feel prideful when I do attain something. It’s so easy to look to circumstances for joy, to believe that He just isn’t enough, not really. That insidious lie plays far too often in my head, a lie I must take captive and fight with truth.

Christ is enough. We have all that we need in Him. And that need even includes fullness of joy!

“My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19

“In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Ps. 16:11

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature.” 2 Pet. 1:3-4

Isn’t any lack just an opportunity for me to seek Him more, to allow Him to be my all in all? My God is a God of abundance. He will provide the focus I need, the joy I need, the humility I need, the strength I need, if I just ask and abide and look to Him. For when I am weak, then I am strong!