Knowing You

I Corinthians 2:1 "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

Philippians 3:7-11 "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

Lord Jesus,

Thank you for the privilege of knowing You.  The moment I feel like I know You completely, I realize that I have barely known You past an introduction. But, oh, how I long to know You.

Thank You for Your invitation into Your Presence. Thank You for the welcome I find in You.

Remove any obstructions from my life that prevent me from knowing You. Empty me of other relationships, hobbies, attractions, habits and interests that compete with knowing You. Leave only that which complements the intimacy of my knowing You. 

Lord Jesus, may the light of Your Presence, the light of knowing You, illuminate any trash in my life that You demand to incinerate in Your blazing Presence. Then, like Moses' burning bush, set me aflame with Your consuming power, not to destroy me, but to use me for Your glory. 

Consume me with the the effusiveness of elation, the constancy of conviction, the delight of Your drawing, the magnetism of Your majesty, the happiness of knowing Your heart, and the joy of Jesus. Enfold me in the intimacy of knowing You.

Then launch me out into a hurting world with the radiance of Your grace, the winsomeness of Your holiness, the beauty of Your character, and the attractiveness of Your witness. Fill me with You so that I carry the aroma of Your fragrance into my world. Draw the spiritually hungry to the Your scent upon me. Convict Your enemies with the nausea of their revulsion to Your character upon Your child, until they come to You for relief from the the spiritual sickness of sin. 

Lord Jesus, I want to know You. Deepen my walk. Intensify our passion. Increase my knowledge. Help me to recognize Your softest whisper, Your nearly unnoticeable nudge, Your gracious gift of Yourself to me. I want to know You now, until I see You face to face in heaven, where I experience complete knowledge of You. Fit me today for that glorious day to come.

Walk with me in that knowledge today. I love You. I need You.

Amen