Martha Olawale

“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” Philippians 3:10

Before I met my husband, he was a total stranger to me and me to him. I didn’t even know his name let alone his history or dreams about the future. While I believe in first love, I would not say ours was close to it. If there was a picture of what I thought my husband would be, he would miss a mark or two.

Over time, I was drawn to him and wanted to know more about him. I was intrigued by his story and passion for God. We spent every available time learning about each other’s past and goals for the future. At some point, we both knew that God had plans for us together and we agreed to start a journey that has been both fun and frustrating. It’s over twenty years since we met, and I know so much more about him today than I did, that first evening I looked up to see a face I’ve gotten so accustomed to. I know him enough now to finish some of his sentences, but even with that and three children between us, I am still learning new things about him every day.

Following Christ is not a one-said-and-done deal. It is like a maze that requires knowing His will as we take each step towards the exit sign. It is a continuous process of learning at His feet and getting to know Him more each waking moment of our life. Knowing Christ is a love affair that should never end because unlike my earthly love, it continues to eternity. And for as long as we still have our flesh cloak on, we need Him to help us understand what pleases Him, always.

Writing to the Philippians in chapter 3, Paul emphasizes that following Christ requires a total surrender of our will to please the flesh because the knowledge of who Jesus is, frees us from the hold of worldly longings. He said in verse 10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

There are some battles we should not be fighting in because Christ is not in it, but because we act before we ask, we end up fighting when we should be praying or speaking peace. With each new social or political issue, life question, or challenge, it is important we take a moment to know how Jesus feels about it and the role He intends each of us to play before we act. Knowing Christ truly exceeds the story of the baby in a manger; the man that mentored twelve disciples and healed the sick; and the man that was unjustly crucified.

Jesus is more than a good guy who graced the earth with perfection. He is God and Lord over all things. To those who are saved, He is a Father who desires that our lives reflect the fellowship of His sufferings and His call for us to live holy. James 2:19 says, “Thou believes that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” If Paul, who saw Jesus physically declares his desire to know Christ more, how much more, we.