April 2 Day 24
Philippians 3:10-11
“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.”
REFLECTION
A disciple is not only a student of his master’s teaching but earnestly seeks to emulate the life of the teacher as well. A person could master the philosophy, wisdom, rules, and every lesson of a teacher…yet not reflect that understanding in their lives. Paul did not share the experiences of the other apostles: he did not hear the Sermon on the Mount, see cripples healed, watch demons exorcised, or witness the empty tomb. But his deepest desire was to “know the power of the resurrection” participate in (Jesus’) suffering.
Our experience of repentance is nothing more than regret, if it does not also result in a transformative desire to become like Jesus. To have the same mind as God’s Son, being emptied of our old life of brokenness and sin and filled up again by the Holy Spirit. Many will know “about God” but never know God in a personal relationship. And few will escape the trap of false profession unless their very being aligns with that of our Savior.
PRAYER: Lord, help us avoid the trap of believing yet not following. Write your Word on our hearts and not only our minds so we seek Jesus in faith. Keep us from subjecting your truth to our broken desire to bend it to the desires of our flesh and pride of our sin nature. Use your Spirit to dissolve our old life and then fill us with a commitment to know Jesus’ resurrection as our living hope. AMEN
Leave a Reply