“Nov 13, 2024 - That I May Know Him”

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

That I May Know Him

Reading:  Philippians 3:7-16
    
    Paul’s words crackle with intensity as he describes the remarkable transformation he has experienced.  After spending his formative years building his resume, everything changes.  “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”(Phil 3:7-8).  Paul discovers something so much better than glorifying himself and has devoted his whole life to pursuing it.  He has “suffered the loss of all things”—his friendships, his comforts, his good name, his money, his health, his bright future in Judaism—yet he decides that this is all “rubbish” or “dung.”  Paul has done the math:  knowing Jesus is worth more than temporary personal greatness.

    So now Paul’s burning desire is “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead”(Phil 3:10-11).  Knowing him means my righteousness is not based on my goodness, but his grace (Phil 3:9).  Knowing him means suffering like him (perhaps even dying like him) so that I can be raised like him (Phil 3:10).  Paul will sacrifice anything and submit to anything if it means he will be raised with Jesus.  Now he goes forward:  “But one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”(Phil 3:13-14).  This pursuit has taken over his life; it is now the “one thing” he does.  Knowing Jesus motivates him each day and will not end until he rests with Jesus in eternity.

    Paul’s passion burns through the page.  Jesus has captured his heart and rearranged his life.  Now Paul preaches and lives and works and writes as he does because he wants to know Jesus.  Our story may not be as dramatic as Paul’s, but the basic contours are the same:  we abandon our attempts to save ourselves and run hard after our Savior. 

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One Thing to Think About: Is knowing Jesus my burning desire?

One Thing to Pray For:  Courage to surrender everything to seek after Jesus
 

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