Philippians 3:10, 11


I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead ~ Philippians 3:10, 11

“I want to know Christ” - that is what makes me a Christ follower! I want to know Him, to understand, to experience His nature and character and His work in a way that shows me clearly who He is so that I can mirror Him. I want to know in the depths of my being the salvation He has worked out for me and the power that lies within it. How, in my own mind and heart does His death impact me and my life? How do I now sense the hope of immortality because of His saving grace and His resurrection from the dead? This is what makes Him like no other – that He was raised from the dead and now lives. I want to know Christ so that I can live as He did, and if need be, that I can die in a way that shows others who He is. New Testament people seemed to want to by martyrs. I have no desire to be one myself, but, if I should be challenged or persecuted, I do have the desire that my death would bring glory to Him who died for me. It is a hard thing to even think that I would participate in His sufferings, so great were they. I could never imagine in any way going through what my Saviour went through on the way to the cross. How few of us would be willing to die as He died? When I think of dying, I want to go to sleep and not wake up, I want a “bed of down” for my deathbed, I want it to be as comfortable as possible. I do not look to suffer in death, to have the intensity of suffering be my bedmate. But, if that were to be my wish, it may not be my reality, and suffering may be a part of my end here on earth. Should that be so, may God give me the patience, faith, and His compassion, for I know that when my end comes, He will take me to be with Him, for that is why He died and was resurrected.

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