Strategic Planning Month
More Than a Destination
Developed by Pastor Trevor M. Crenshaw
Darlene set her mug down on the cafeteria table, looking across at Justina, who exhaled and conveyed signs of a heavy heart. “I just keep thinking about heaven,” Justina admitted, tracing the rim of her cup. “With everything falling apart in the world right now, I catch myself clinging to my ticket. I believe in Jesus, I know where I’m going when I die, and honestly, some days I want the flight to take off.”
Darlene smiled gently, leaning in. “Justina, what if eternity isn’t an escape hatch? What if eternal life isn’t just a destination waiting at the end of the line, but a Person inviting you to walk with Him right now?”
In a world obsessed with bucket lists, retirement packages, and final destinations, Darlene’s question was completely counter-cultural. We tend to view salvation as a cosmic insurance transaction where Jesus pays the premium, we receive a boarding pass to the clouds, and we spend the intervening years killing time in the departure lounge. But scripture shatters this transactional mindset. Consequently, eternal life is not defined by where we go after we die; it is defined by Whom we know right now.
Jesus made this abundantly clear during His High Priestly Prayer in John 17:3: “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (NASB). Notice His definition. Eternal life is not a golden address; it is an intimate acquaintance with the living God.
This truth raises a vital question for every believer: How do we experience eternal life as an intimate relationship today rather than a distant reservation tomorrow? The Apostle Paul answers this question with striking clarity in Philippians 3:8–10. Through his testimony, we discover three essential realities of knowing Christ:
I. The Pursuit (Phil. 3:8)
Paul writes in verse 8, “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” The word Paul uses for “knowing” implies experiential intimacy, not intellectual information. He willingly tossed his religious pedigree, social status, and personal accomplishments into the trash heap because the value of knowing Christ dwarfed them all (Phil. 3:2-7).
Evaluate your daily priorities. Have you allowed good things—ministry tasks, family goals, or personal comforts to eclipse the supreme value of Christ Himself? Wake up each morning seeking to encounter the Lord through His Word and prayer, not to check a spiritual duty off your list, but to pursue a Person who loves you.
II. The Position (Phil. 3:9)
In verse 9, Paul explains that he longs to “be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God based on faith.” A genuine relationship cannot flourish on performance-based anxiety. We do not relate to God as nervous employees trying to earn approval; we relate to Him as secure children clothed in the righteousness of His Son.
When guilt or inadequacy whispers that God is disappointed with you, stand firmly on your position in Christ. Stop trying to earn His affection through religious performance. Rest in the finished work of the cross, allowing His unshakeable grace to produce joyful, unforced obedience.
3. The Power (Phil. 3:10)
Paul culminates in verse 10 with an audacious cry: “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” Knowing Jesus involves participating in His resurrection life today. It is not merely dynamic hope for a future cemetery; it is divine resurrection power flowing into our mortal bodies right now, enabling us to endure trials and conquer sin.
Where do you feel spiritually drained or helpless this week? The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives within you. Instead of waiting for heaven to fix your trials, invite the Holy Spirit to release His resurrection endurance into your current hardships, trusting that even your struggles draw you closer to His heart.
Stop waiting for eternity to start at your physical death. If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, your eternal life began the moment you believed.
Do not settle for holding a ticket to a distant paradise while living as an orphan in the present. Lay aside the distractions that clutter your devotion, discard the exhausted performance trap, and step boldly into the surpassing worth of fellowship with your Savior today. Seek Him deeply, abide in Him continually, and discover that knowing Him is the true reward of eternity.