Know

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:10-11 (ESV)

When the Apostle Paul talks about knowledge here, he's not talking about intellectualism. He's talking about relational intimacy. We're not just to know in our heads that Jesus died and rose again. We're to die to self like He died for us.

We are naturally risk averse as humans. We don't, by default, embrace suffering. Yet the mystery of the gospel is that through the suffering of Jesus, we can know peace with God.

God is able to bring good out of suffering. We assume suffering is unremittingly bad. Yet the Bible teaches that because of Christ crucified, it can be redemptive.

Thankfully, suffering isn't the end of the story. There's an eternity to come. There's the resurrection of the dead, which we can be assured of by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus in history.

'Dear Lord, we long to know You, not just intellectually, but personally. May we enter into Your suffering, and so share with You in Your resurrection, to be with You forevermore. For Your honour and praise we pray, amen'.

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