Philippians 3:12

Tonight at church they read a passage that I really needed to hear. They read Philippians 3:7-16...and damn, that's good stuff. Several things struck me, but the verse that I think I'll carry with me for a few days is 3:12:

Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

It exemplifies that whole thing in Christianity about the indicative coming before the imperative. For example, the Israelites were delivered out of slavery before they were given the law. We love God because God first loved us. I strive to seize the goal because Jesus has seized me. Etc.

Lately I've been spending a lot of time reflecting on and trying to live out some of the imperatives of Christianity. And I don't think that's a bad thing at all (because Jesus is certainly about transforming how we live our lives). But I really needed to spend some time in the indicative tonight, and I don't even think I realized how much I needed it until I was in it. Especially since I'm learning my Greek again (in preparation for a Greek reading class, and a class on Philippians and Colossians), I was interested to look at that verb that's used twice in that verse (about making one's own).

The verb is katalambano. Now, lambano by itself means "I take/receive." But when you add the prefix kata- to the verb, I remember my Greek professor saying it adds force to it, like you do it hardcore. (At least I think that's what I remember.) So, here is my paraphrase of that verse:

So I'm not there yet, and I have a long way to go before I get there; but I keep striving to grab onto it hardcore, because Jesus has grabbed onto me hardcore.

Word.