My gains as garbage?

I love stuff. Nice stuff. I was real proud of my knife collection as a kid. It now resides in a box.

As I mentioned in yesterday's study I earnestly sought Cowboy Action Shooting and now all of those firearms and equipment are sold.

At one time I was a WWI/WWII collector. At first everything and then I concentrated on US firearms. I once had all the major battle rifles from the Spanish American war through our modern wars. The vast majority of it is gone. It did not satisfy.

With these facts in mind I have to ask myself the question. Why did I cringe at today's reading?

Philipians 3:7-10

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

I think my answer is that I have not yet surrendered all. I'm still clinging to this world. Yet the closer I get to Christ, the less attractive the "stuff" becomes.

I'm reminded of the song Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus that contains the phrase "And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace."

I am also reminded of the admonition found in the book of Hebrews 12:1-3

¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ²fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I've got a lot to think about. I encourage you to do the same.

God Bless.