So Far and Yet So Close
Php. 2:1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,…
Dr. J. Stephen Yuille, in his book titled, The Path of Life observes, “The size of the heavens is staggering. The sun is 864,000 miles across, meaning it is equivalent in size to 1.3 million earths. The star Betelgeuse is about 860 million miles across, or one thousand times wider than the sun. If you were to put Betelgeuse in the sun’s location, its surface would extend past the orbit of Mars. That is startling enough. But we add to the mix the fact that our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains hundreds of billions of stars, plus that there are billions of galaxies.” But then he adds the following, “In Christ, God knows us (Gal. 4:9). Please note that there is a significant difference between factual and relational knowledge. God knows everyone factually, but He doesn’t know everyone relationally: “The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Tim. 2:19). Christ proclaims, “I know My sheep” (John 10:14).” Did you catch that last part?
The passage from Philippians 2 is an opportunity and an invitation to meet with God. Why do I say that? It provides us with another checklist of sorts like the one we saw in Wednesday’s, Galatians 2 Blog, titled “The Test.” Php. 2:1 offers some more litmus “tests” regarding our walk and relationship with the Godhead. It proposes four tests: (1) Do you have any encouragement from being united with Christ? (2) Do you have any comfort from His love? (3) Do you have any fellowship with the Spirit? (4) Do you have any tenderness and compassion? Now notice that they are all experiential. That’s why I call them litmus tests, opportunities, and invitations. Many of the things in the Bible are invitations to draw nearer to the Lord to know Him.
For example, what does this question mean: (1) Do you have any encouragement from being united with Christ? The Amplified Classic translation states it this way: “…in our mutual dwelling in Christ, by whatever] strengthening and consoling and encouraging [our relationship] in Him [affords]…. In other words have you experienced any strengthening, consoling, or encouragement by the fact that you are united to Christ or one with Jesus? That you are in Him; a part of Him; one with Him? Let’s word the question another way. Have you ever received strength, consolation, or encouragement from Jesus? If you can reply, “Yes,” to any aspect of these questions you should begin thanking and praising the Lord right now! Why? How long would it take you to walk from one side of earth to the other? Answer: A long time. If the sun could be comprised of 1.3 million earth’s and God exists outside of all of that – how big and distant is God? But do you remember what Dr. Yuille wrote? God knows everyone factually, but He doesn’t know everyone relationally: “The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Tim. 2:19). Christ proclaims, “I know My sheep” (John 10:14).”
Once the Lord asked me, “What are the chances that you will ever know any one famous?” My answer? “Slim to none.” Then He said, “But you know Me.” Do you know Him experientially? Is your relationship with Him growing? Are you aware of when you are connected to Him – dwelling, or abiding in Him? Do you even know what that means? If you had Jesus appear, and talk with you, would you say that qualifies you for knowing Jesus pretty good? The Apostle Paul had that happen to him on more than one occasion, yet, he wrote: [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly],…(Php. 3:10) Is that your determined purpose? Would you say that Paul would say that should be every follower of Christ’s determined purpose? Would you say that this is Jesus’ chief desire for you and any one who claims to be His follower?
