home > Pastor’s Desk > 2023 > February 02nd > How To Know Jesus Better
It’s a scary thought to realise that the Jesus we have been told about and worship may not really be known to us at all. We can ‘know’ about someone or something, but not really know them. In Christian circles it’s often referred to as head knowledge not heart knowledge.
“You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know”,
John 4:22a
About 55 years ago a good friend of mine was transferred from the ANZ Bank in Burnie to the Smithton branch and through him I noticed a pretty little blond girl working with him in Smithton. To say I was smitten was an understatement and in the following weeks I urged him to tell me everything he could about this girl; what she did, what she was like and so on. I asked him everything I could think of. But did I know her? No, I only knew about her.
It was only by spending time with her and personally experiencing the attributes she had, that I really got to know her, and as a result we are coming up to our 53rd wedding anniversary. Only after falling in love could we come together in mutual submission and forge a successful relationship.
When I think about ‘knowing Jesus better’, that scenario with Julie rings true with our relationship with Jesus as our Lord and saviour. In fact our earthly relationships mirror our heavenly relationship where we know Jesus intimately, and by reading His word we can gain that head knowledge that leads us to desire to know him intimately and better. It is once we experience the risen Christ that things change for us. No longer are we seeking the benefits that we know come from putting our faith in Jesus, it no longer becomes about ‘me’, it becomes all about Him, just like the marriage scenario. Knowing Jesus better leads to total surrender to His lordship, it changes the way we approach His Word, it shows us our need, a need that is only satisfied by total surrender, total humility, total vulnerability, total honesty. We come as broken people needing a physician, a healer, a saviour.
––that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Philippians 3:10
The above verse is not about seeking the benefits, its all about total surrender, its about knowing Him so much that you share in the things he suffered. You share in the resurrected life, looking forward to becoming more and more like him. It is all about Him. It is all about seeking His wholeness in your brokenness, finding His closeness in your loneliness, finding radical sacrifice in your surrender and finding joyfulness in His holiness. It means standing out and speaking of your love and devotion to your Lord and living a life of integrity, purity and humility in order to please the one who has given His all for you.
Do you truly know Jesus today? Or do you only know about Him? Just like our earthly relationships, knowledge only is nothing unless we really experience the attributes of the one we love. May I urge you today to take that extra step and experience those attributes of Jesus, submit to his Lordship and live a life holy and pleasing to Him.
Amen.
Overseer,
Blair
Let me know what you think below in the comment section and feel free to share this someone who might benefit from this Pastor’s Desk.
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Well said, Blair. And congratulations on your and Julie’s upcoming 53rd wedding anniversary!