Day 26

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”  — PHILIPPIANS 3:10

“To somehow attain to the resurrection,” may sound a little uncertain, but Paul did not write this as an expression of doubt. In Philippians 1:23, he said, “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” There was no ambiguity with him there. I suggest Paul wrote here as an expression of humility, not uncertainty. ‘I don’t deserve this, but the marvellous thing is, believe it or not, I’m going to attain to the resurrection from the dead.’

In this life, there are limits to our knowledge of Christ. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” This is why the Christian life is never static. We never arrive at a point where we can say, “That’s it”. We press on, as Paul says, to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). 

Spiritual maturity is not knowing how much we know, but includes knowing how much we don’t know yet, and that we are pressing on to greater knowledge of Him. It is putting behind things of the past that otherwise would hold us back.  We have been forgiven of our sins, and they are forgotten, thrown into the depths of the sea, to be remembered no more. These have been replaced with Christ, and we know Christ personally, we know His resurrection powerfully; and through the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, we know Him purposefully, and finally, in attaining to the resurrection from the dead, we know Him permanently. 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, the wonderful day when You take me home gives me every reason to live here and now for You in the power of your resurrection presence in my life. 

TO REFLECT UPON: Am I prepared for meeting Jesus face to face?  Then I will know Him as fully as He knows me now.