No Other Way

Scotty Smith:  A Prayer about Our Main Address: Being Found in Christ

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 may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead Philippians 3:8-9

Dear Lord Jesus, I used to wonder where I might be and what I might be doing the very moment you return to finish making all things new. Would you find me doing something mindlessly inane or eternally noble? Would I be on a mission trip or a fishing trip? Would I be arguing with a friend or caring for the poor? Because of bad, gospel-less theology, I was uneasy about your return and dreaded the notion of you showing up and saying something like, “Gotcha! What are you doing wasting your time watching TV when you could’ve been doing so much more for me?”

How arrogant of me… how self-centered and self-serving. The gospel never has been about my empty doings, but your perfect doing. Even if you should come back while I was risking my life for the kingdom in another culture; even if you were to find me being burned alive as a martyr; even if you were to “catch me” watching the Food Channel or UNC basketball, or surfing the web or the waves in Hawaii, or arguing with my spouse or complaining about traffic… the only address that really matters—the only place I care about being found when you return is to be found in you—not having a righteousness of my own, but the righteousness that only comes through faith in you.

Jesus, I haven’t suffered the loss of all things for you, and its only because of the riches of the gospel that other things seem more and more like fools gold to me. But I can say that knowing you, and being known by you, is my greatest treasure… for I have no righteousness of my own, none. The only reason I no longer fear your return, or death, or today… is because my permanent address is, in Christ. That’s my winter and my summer address… my 24/7/365 address. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Lord Jesus, as the gospel goes deeper and deeper into my heart, enable me to know you better than I ever have. Free me to suffer with you, humbly and willingly, wherever you place me in your kingdom and take me in your story. Grant me all the resurrection power I need to love to your glory, in easy and difficult circumstances. Make me more and more like yourself—in my living and in my dying.

The only way I will attain to the resurrection from the dead is because you were raised from the dead for me. Dressed in your righteousness alone, I will be faultless as I stand before your throne. There’s no other way, none. So very Amen I pray, with awestruck wonder, in your exalted name.