I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
A passage that has been echoing in my heart for several months now is this one – Philippians 3:10. Paul says he has a deep desire to know Christ. My response: “What do you mean you want to know Christ?! Surely you know Him better than any man who ever lived.
The other Apostles walked with Him in the flesh and were trained by Him on this earth but you have walked with and were trained by the Glorified Christ in the third heaven.” (2 Corinthians 12:1-4) But Paul said he desired to know Him and in fact it was a main priority of his – “this one thing I do”. (Philippians 3:13)
Surely if Paul, with his first hand experience with the Risen Lord, had a compelling desire “to know Christ”, how can I be content with the very cursive head knowledge and even more shallow heart knowledge I have of this Splendid Living Lord? Compared to Paul, my relationship with the Lord seems non-existent.
If Paul made it a “this one thing” priority, how much more desperate should I be “to know Christ”? Not to know His will. Not to know His plan for me. Not to know facts and figure about Him. As important as all these may be, and they are indeed an aspect of knowing Him, but the priority is knowing Him, not knowing about Him.
[My prayer, Father God,] 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)
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Those who know about God can tell others about God.
But those who know God can make Him known
And in so doing cause others to thirst to know Him as well.
BONUS: Here is a rather obscure song that I find myself singing (just the last verse) over and over again as a prayer. I really don’t care that much for most of the song (you may love it) but skip ahead to the 3 minute mark and listen to the last chorus. It is a powerful prayer that paraphrases Philippians 3:10 that you may find a helpful “prayer” also.