That I May Know 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
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21

If for Paul, ‘to live is Christ,’ the question arises, how would that become a reality? In the passage that precedes our text, Paul has catalogued all his human pedigree and achievements. He has discounted all of those things, even going so far as to consider them rubbish. Instead, he has declared his first priority to ‘be found’ in Christ, a recipient of the justification which comes by faith. He goes on to say that beyond justification, his desire is, ‘that I may know Him.’ How will such a thing come to be? If for him ‘to live is Christ,’ he must ‘know Him.’ To know Him, he must spend time with Him and in contemplation of Him. How do we get to know anyone? We do so by spending time in their presence. We go where they go, ‘observe what they do; hear what they say; absorb the atmosphere they generate. It is so with knowing Christ. The contemplation of Christ brings us to know Him. If we know Him we learn to imitate Him. Thus Christ and all the means of grace He has afforded us become indispensable. We walk with Him through the Scriptures; meet Him in prayer; behold Him in the sacraments; and come to know Him better and better.

Our Gracious God and Savior,
we rejoice that You have given us the means to know You.
We praise You as we come to know You better,
You bring us to become like You.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning