How often do we just go about our daily lives, not thinking about it. We do the same generic things day after day; work, TV, meals, sleep. Day after day, the same thing over and over and over again. Then something happens; we get sick or divorced or something serious happens and everything changes. Life comes into perspective and suddenly everything takes on a new meaning. I like Paul because he seems always to have been in focus, always thinking of his service to the risen Christ. Paul says...
Philippians 3:1-14 WEB (R)
(1) Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.
(2) Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.
(3) For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;
(4) though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more:
(5) circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
(6) concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
(7) However, what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ.
(8) Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ
(9) and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
(10) that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;
(11) if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
(12) Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
(13) Brothers, I don't regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,
(14) I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Meeting Jesus changed everything for Paul. From that time on he had a one track mind, a singular purpose bent on submitting to the will of GOD. Just like the man in the picture, it was obvious that he could think of nothing but what lay ahead of him. Today, I read about a woman and child who "died" during childbirth only to mysteriously come back to life again. The husband thought he had lost everything, but when she came back... WOW! It was like that for Paul and it can be like that for us as well; we just have to be focused.