Christianity can sometimes feel like a schizophrenic affair and balancing our different roles can be a tricky thing.  We, as creatures, were created to glorify our creator.  We, as children were called to a relationship with our Father.  We, as the redeemed, are bought into service as ambassadors to a lost world.

     Within these three aspects of every Christian’s walk we find ourselves swinging out of control from one end of the spectrum to the other.  Monday we find ourselves acting the part of the older brother in Luke 15:29,  “But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.”  But on Tuesday, we find that we would much rather bury our talents in the dirt and let grace abound as did the wicked servant in Matt. 25:24-28.

   In Philippians 3:10, Paul boils all of the works and the grace down to one goal, “I want to know Christ, in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering.”  Of all that Paul had to boast about in previous verses, this was his one desire.  And the knowledge of Christ was never exclusively academic nor experiential in nature.  The knowledge of Christ grew within the framework of the “power of His resurrection”.  In other words, it was a knowledge that came from a relationship with his living Lord and friend.  It grew as the power of the living God was manifest in an unworthy vessel.

     This knowledge in “the power of His resurrection” was, however, only knowledge in part.  For the God Paul longed to know was a God acquainted with grief and suffering for the sake of love (Isa. 53:3-5).  Thus Paul desired to know Christ in the “fellowship of His suffering.”  What a fellowship that must have been!  In Acts 5:41 we see the disciples rejoicing after having been beaten because they “had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the (Jesus’) Name.”

     We come to God as beggars and orphans and are given positions as princes and sons.  Let us not grow too religious to continue on our journey to know Him who called us to His love.

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-- and the things that are not-- to nullify the things that are,  so that no one may boast before him.  It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-- that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  1 Corinthians 1:27-31 

Nothing To Do With Me

 Who am I, I’m the one who did it right

Went to a dark world, and brought a light

I preached the Word with grace and truth

Now I’m not so sure what I’m ‘sposed to do

Talk about Zeal I worked my fingers to the bone

When I was done I was still alone

I did my song and dance, and paid my dues

Now who’s left to tell me what I’m ‘sposed to do

Can you tell me what it’s all for?

I want to know You

I want to know You in the power of Your resurrection

I want to feel what breaks Your heart Lord

I want to love You with motives that have,

Nothing to do with me

So strange to see how I, in God’s name

Destroyed so much that He had ordained

I justified myself in word and deed

“Made right by works” was my call & creed

Can you tell me what it’s all for?

I want to know You

CHORUS

I want to know You in the power of Your resurrection

I want to feel what breaks Your heart Lord

I want to go where You lead me without my preconceived notions

‘bout where I should be

I want to know You in the power of Your resurrection

I want to feel what breaks Your heart Lord

I want to love You with motives that have

Nothing to do with me

 
“If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.  But, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”