Daily Devotional

This past week we reflected on the sufferings of Christ and celebrated His resurrection that first Easter morning.  Now almost 2000 years removed from the events, I want to remind us of how significant the death and resurrection is as we grow in our relationship with Christ.  The Apostle Paul, as he wrote the book of Philippians, wanted to go deeper in his understanding and knowledge of the Lord.  He wrote that we can “know” Christ beyond just memorizing historical facts and biblical doctrine.  Paul is talking about knowing in depth the person of Christ.  

Often in life, we feel that we must do more in order to draw closer to the Lord.  We must give more of ourselves, we must be involved in more ministries, we must attend church more, or we must do more religious activity.  This knowledge of Christ that Paul wants us to experience, is not just an academic study, a course on Christology, or religious activity.  Neither is it casual contact now and then.  You can’t truly know a person in this way.  The friends you know best are those you have spent time with or have gone through deep experiences together.  This relationship comes by you and Jesus living your lives together.  It is a moment-by-moment sharing of experiences.  Jesus desires to do that with each of us.

Knowing Jesus in this way, will enable us to experience the “power of His resurrection” in our lives.  This power brought Jesus forth from the grave.  It is the very power that is working in our lives because we have been “raised with Christ.”  (Colossians 3:1) The word “power” (dynamis) means to overcome resistance.  God has placed in each of us the power to be victors and not victims.  That power is available to us as we face the seemingly impossible problems of life.  When our goals and purposes in life are God’s goals and purposes for us, there is nothing that will keep them from becoming reality.  All the power needed to make them happen is there.

The power of the resurrection is constantly changing us in every situation from hopelessness to hope… from sorrow into joy… from impatience into compassion that endures patiently… from self-centeredness into instruments of His grace.

This all comes into our lives because of knowing Christ.  We will then fully enter an ever-growing relationship with Christ…experiencing His resurrection power in our lives.

Prayer:  Lord, I want to know you more.  Help me to move beyond where I am now to a much deeper walk with you.  May your resurrection life change me to be more like You.  Amen.

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