Verse of the week -- Philippians 3:9

Credit where credit is due.

We often cling to that mantra, deeply offended if our deserving credit goes to someone else. If we come up with an idea, plan, invention, or alteration we want people to know it. Well, even if we don't want to brag about it, we don't want someone else stepping in, in our place, and taking the credit for our creativity, hard work, inventive plans, or ingenious ideas.

Yet, that is exactly what Christ allowed. He allowed His righteousness to be taken advantage of in a sense. He allows us to claim His righteousness for our own. Through Him we can, " . . . be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." (Philippians 3:9)

As we looked at last week, our good works don't amount to more than a garbage heap. Something about Philippians keeps drawing me in. Both the power of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, and the resulting joy that must permeate our life. So much packed into this little book that I used to skim over as a call to 'joy' even in tough times. So much more than I realized.

All that Christ suffered, He willingly did so for us to enjoy eternal life. He endured all of this so that we can know Him, have a relationship with this powerful, Holy, just, majestic Lord of lords.

Complete humility, passionate love.

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith

~Philippians 3:9~