My dearest love,
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, 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....I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-9a, 10-11)
"...since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." (Colossians 1:9-12)
How do I express to people that THIS is what I want for them? To YOUR people! Believe me, please, I'm very glad that so many of the people I know acknowledge You as Savior. The thing that's on my heart though is growth, maturity, and intimacy...with You. In Acts 15 after Barnabas and Paul split up, Paul and Silas went through different cities "strengthening the churches." Bapa, that's what I want. I want people to not only acknowledge You as Savior, but to KNOW You. How do I express this part of my heart to the people who aren't this passionately in love with You?
I wonder what the life of the man on the cross would have looked like if he hadn't died that day.
Luke 23:40-43
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Oh, my dear love, would he have lived like Paul and John the Baptist and those of faith who are commended in Your word?
Hebrews 11:32-38a
"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated -- the world was not worthy of them."
In a certain way I envy him, the man on the cross. The day he received salvation is the same day he was brought into glory. What a blessing that would be! For the kingdom of heaven is something to be looking forward to and more, something to be longing for. However, in another way I don't envy him. My love, I know that glory (Your kingdom and an eternity in Your presence) will be incomparably wonderful to anything we have of You on this world, but You Yourself said in John 16:7, "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." You said to Your disciples that it is better for You as a physical human being (able to be touch, felt, heard) not to be here so that we can have You as a spirit with us always, no matter where we're at. My love, I don't envy the man on the cross in this way. He never had the opportunity to live for You through the power of Your Holy Spirit. He never received the joy that comes when seeing someone come to You and say, "You are my Lord."
Everything else is truly a loss compared to knowing You! My love, there is nothing that I can really do to explain this, is there? It's You, it's all You. Use my life to show this intimacy, please! I know that the rest is up to You and the individuals decision. But You know this passion wrestles within me. All I want is for people to know You.
