"I COUNT ALL THINGS BUT LOSS ... THAT I MAY WIN CHRIST." Solus Christus, Christ only! Nothing else mattered. Paul appears to have had seven principal wishes, and they are all expressed in this brief epistle. They all have reference to Christ the Lord. Indeed Christ was Paul's centre, the circle within which all the desires of his heart and soul belonged. He especially desired to know Christ, to win Christ, to magnify Christ both in his body and soul, to be found in Christ, to be conformed to Christ, to rejoice in the day of Christ, and to be with Christ. But the first lies at the root of all the rest. The knowledge of Christ is more excellent than any other, than all other knowledge. But how little do we know of the Lord, therefore it is that we enjoy so little of Him. Our knowledge of Christ should be powerful and deep, regulating our thoughts, desires, hopes, fears, confidence, and our conduct toward God and man, especially toward the saints; and we should grow in the knowledge of Christ. If we really and sincerely desire to know Christ, we shall search His word, love His law, meditate on His truth, be constantly at His throne, and speak of Him often to others. Do we?

For Meditation:
'Tis life to know my risen Lord,
To feed upon His living word;
O may I in this knowledge grow,
And daily more of Jesus know.