Knowing Him

 

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.  

Philippians 3: 10 NKJV 

I was struck with a simple thought this week.  A week which carried its own share of tragedy and hardship for me and some I have known for awhile.  A dear friend of mine was down sick for a brief time while another is on the brink of losing her husband to the virus.  My thoughts through all of this were, where is Jesus through all of this?  Well, were I to adhere to the common teachings of the mainstream church, Jesus is sitting in heaven watching over us.  Yeah, that's fine for believers, but where is Jesus for that person who has never known Him?  And how is it that we go about knowing Jesus?  I'll admit that I spent most of my life in the church not knowing who the man Jesus really was.  I knew that he died on the cross for me.  I knew that three days later He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.  That was the basis of my knowing who Jesus was.  But is this who Jesus truly is?  As I write this a good friend of mine has sent me a message concerning my friend about to lose her husband..."May they both recognize Jesus in them."  Folks, THAT is Jesus.  Jesus isn't simply a feel good bible story that we can turn to every time we're feeling bad or in need.  Jesus isn't someone who only cares for us when we need Him.  We don't celebrate a on demand Jesus.  The apostle Paul assures us of this when he writes of the reality of Jesus in Galatians.  It is Paul who speaks to Christ living in us {Galatians 2:20}.  Imagine the joy of someone who realizes that in their desperate time of need that Jesus within them is there to comfort them.  So, back to my original thought this week.  Where is Jesus in the midst of the turmoil I have been experiencing?  He's in the same place He has always been, in me.  Now, whether or not I recognized Christ in me is on me.  Count me among the millions of people worldwide who, for a time, failed to recognize the one true Christ and where He is.  

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

Philippians 3: 7 - 8 NKJV 

I find it interesting how Paul viewed those things which he gained through his life.  Wealth, influence and power as well as knowledge in the faith which he was raised on.  How did Paul view his stature after his trip on that road to Damascus?  He counted all of it as LOSS for the opportunity to know Jesus.  Think about that, all of those things which the man Saul once valued in his life, Paul counted as loss in order that he know Christ.  How many of us have come to that point in our lives where we have lost something we have valued and treasured?  I know I have.  From family members to material possessions, I've felt the sting of loss many times in my life.  Do I regret any of it?  Not when I realize that they were counted as loss that I may know Christ in me.  Did Saul have any idea who Jesus truly was?  I would say no, although he most assuredly had heard of Him.  We do well to realize that the pain of our loss, whatever it may be, can be eased by our realization of knowing Jesus.  It is Jesus who brings comfort in these times.  When our attention is focused on all we find important in our lives, we may fail to see Jesus as He truly is.  May we all recognize Christ Jesus in us.  

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Galatians 2: 20 

~Scott~