"I WANT TO KNOW HIM"
It is always an exciting moment in life when you come into the presence of someone who is a celebrity on the world stage. They come from all walks of life, some from the entertainment business, world leaders, inventors, philanthropist, athletes and the list goes on. Whatever the personal choice, the one thing we all have in common is, we desire to meet and get to know the man.
Recently, my wife and I went to the Billy Graham Cove in North Carolina, to see a worship leader named Phil Wickham. We drove more then 5 hours, to finally get to hear him sing, and for us to worship with him in a small fellowship auditorium. His music had played a significant role in our lives, when the need was strong to feel close to God and to each other. His words of passion in song, were as if God's loving hands were weaving the threads of grace upon grace into our hearts and minds. The joy of being refreshed, renewed and restored was undeniable, due to the gift of praise brought fought through this young man.
During these 2 days as we worshiped with this young man and many others. Mr. Wickham, began to tell his personal story, of how his call to worship came about in his life. He spoke profoundly and passionately about his Mom and Dad, who raised him and his brothers in a solid Christian home. He spoke of his older brother, who was the youth leader of his church, and how so many of life lessons came to find their home in his heart, through his teachings, and a life well lived. He never felt alone and always encouraged to develop the gift that was within him. After the second day, we both agreed that we understood, and knew better this man who touched our lives.
Then came the last day and the announcement, that I will admit my wife and I were hoping to hear. The moment that we can actually meet and speak to Phil Wickham, as he offered to place his autograph on the new music Cd's we and others purchased that weekend. So, my wife and I decided to wait on a very long line, with others who had shared with us the same gratitude and awe of this worshiper God had used to touch and heal.
The line moved quickly, and before we knew it we were next to introduce ourselves and to shake the hand of Mr. Wickham. You see what really brought us to this moment was the fact, that before we even heard of Phil Wickham, our son Jonathan continuously listened to and worshipped with his music in his room. He would plead with us, to take some time to get familiar with his music. It wasn't until Jonathan went home to be with the Lord, did we decide to do just that, after we did, we fully understood our son's plea.
Now, we are standing before the man. We introduced ourselves, and explained why we traveled such a long distance to hear him worship in song. He was so moved by our words, that he immediately asked his assistant to get a camera, as he put his arms around my wife and I to take, what felt like a family photo. The immediate inner response for us, was the genuine love for Jesus this man had, and for his people. The love for his family, reminded us of the love our Jonathan had for his own family. So much in common that it caused us to say;
now we know the man.
My wife wrote him a personal letter, about how his gift reached into our lives, and how God used every note, every sound of music to heal and restore us, and to prepare our son on his journey home. We embraced with tears, as he held my wife tight, as if in that moment we can hear our Jonathan shout from heaven's balcony... saying; yes! yes! yes!
On our return home, we listened to Phil's music all the way home, 5 hours from the Cove. However, there was a noted difference now, as we were singing along. Something chanced, more personal more intimate. Then we realized before this experience, we knew only the music of the man,
now we knew the man.
Philippians 3
" I what to know Him."
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 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 on the basis of faith. 10 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.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. 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 for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
The apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians, expressed a desire that should be in the heart of every blood washed and redeemed believer. He speaks of gains and losses, as life's uncertainties. His loss is almost not fully understood at first, because it is our instinct to equate loss with people, places and things. Paul's greatest expression of loss was not only concerning things, but the loss of self righteousness. "I consider them garbage, 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 on the basis of faith."
Paul's then reveals his deepest desire, his very reason for existence in the words;
" I want to know Him." Nothing else matters to him, in fact he considers all things loss for Christ sake as compares it to garbage, worthless, not worthy to be compared to all his life's experiences, as compared to his new life of knowing the Son of God. The prophet John expressed the same deep emotion with the words;
" He must become greater; I must become less.” (Jn3:30)
Paul describes his inner understanding, his revelation with the words resurrection and suffering, as what seems like opposites in definition, it becomes to him the very door of which he desires to enter in order to "know Christ." He was determined, fixed on this mission of passion, as one attaining too the resurrection from the dead, knowing that only in this pursuit, would the chains of this world and the flesh be conquered. Where the living dead desire more the world and the deeds of the flesh rather then the Creator. As it is written; "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever." Amen (Rom: 1-23,27)
Paul wanted to escaped the things of the world and the flesh, and continued to pursue his desire of "I want to know Him." Like a athlete in training to win the gold metal prize, like the boxer who pounds his body in agonizing painful long days of training, in order to become the heavy weight champion of the world. Paul fixes his gaze on Jesus, like no other man.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2).
I remember in my younger days, the hard training I undertook as I studied the fine art of Ju -Jit-Su, a very complicated but artful form of self-defense. In the ten years of practice, there was one day, that I will never forget. The teacher Professor Angelo Albergo, who was at this time in his career the highest ranked in the art of Ju-Jit-Su in the USA, placed his hand on me in front of all the other students and elders, who were all students of Sensei Albergo for 20+ years. He announced that I was going to be the student teacher of the group of 12 under special training. This meant that wherever, our school went to compete, I would represent our group in demonstration of our unique style of fighting.
The exciting moment came as a shock to me, to the point I became nervous, insecure even to except this honorable offer from such a prestigious organization. Mr. Albergo knew of broken life, he knew about my absentee father. and a brother who was imprisoned to the drug heroine. This recognition from him to me was a message that challenged me to move on, and to believe in better things to come. So, I accepted.
Paul, came to this conclusion, as he was chosen by Jesus, chief of sinners he called himself, yet chosen to be used as an instrument to the world. Then came a statement from Paul, that we all should hold on too. " but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Paul's life was no longer his own, his purpose and direction were now for the reason that Jesus took hold of him. A moment we all would be wise to never forget in our own lives.
Then comes Paul's final conclusion, "no turning back! We may say; How? Paul's answer; "by forgetting your past." 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 for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
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.
How about you? Just like that day we met Mr. Wickham, we were changed in our relationship with him, although not to be compared to Paul's desire of Christ. Nevertheless, as looking through a dark glass, we understood in a small way the reward of the pursuit. Nothing else mattered to us, it was a moment in time that all others things seemed worthless. Christ knew the healing that awaited us!
Dear precious believer; One thing matters. "press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called you heavenward in Christ Jesus."
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
"ONE THING MATTERS"
But suppose the believer sins after coming? "If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." But suppose that believers backslide? "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him." But believers may fall under temptation! "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." But the believer may fall into sin as David did! Yes, but He will "Purge them with hyssop, and they shall be clean; He will wash them and they shall be whiter than snow"; "From all their iniquities will I cleanse them."