Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – February 10, 2020
What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant. 2 Samuel 7:20-21
The more I grow as a follower of Jesus the more I desire to be known and loved. Other needs like accomplishment and acclaim are losing mental and emotional influence in my mind and heart, while vulnerability and compassion are increasingly taking captive my thoughts and feelings. What does it mean to be fully known and fully loved? I know I am fully known and loved when I can be myself and feel deeply loved for being me. An imperfect me who my heavenly Father perfectly loves through all His creation—-especially His loving children.
I just returned from attending my 25th men’s conference, Souly Business. This 48 hour encounter with the Holy Spirit, God’s Word, the love of Jesus and being loved on by 200 men has helped me for 17 years (and counting), become a better dad, husband, friend and follower of Jesus. 100% of the time I have experienced feeling fully known and fully loved. Why? Because when hearts are immersed in the Love of God, transformed by the Word of God, empowered by the Spirit of God, and surrounded by men who love God—all heaven breaks loose. Love wins!
Paul, with Holy Spirit inspired genius, shares from first hand experience his ongoing encounter with Christ. He gave up the trinkets of this world to gain the treasures of personally and profoundly knowing Christ. When called to suffer—he suffered. When called to die—he died. When called to give up something or someone—he gave up. When called to go—he went. Paul surrendered all, so he could gain all—through the resurrection power of Jesus. The fruit of knowing Christ is being fully known and fully loved by Christ—to be fully known and fully loved by others.
“I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know him through your deepening intimacy with him” (Ephesians 1:17, The Passion Translation).
When being fully known and fully loved is not the focus of our life, we miss experiencing life that is truly life. Instead we become driven to be successful, wealthy and admired, while justifying our selfishness by declaring we will one day be generous, or claiming our time away from our family is for our family. Deceived, we exhaustingly become a plastic personality as our real self is smothered. A real self gasping for air eventually asphyxiates for lack of authenticity.
Where can you start to experience your real self? Have one priority: to be fully known and fully loved, first by your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and second by His faithful, loving followers. As you are divinely loved you will feel fully known and fully loved—able to love well in the Spirit. In the process of loving well, others will feel fully known and fully loved. Love is the gift that keeps on giving. Irresistible. Forgiving. Healing. Fear not—for you are fully known and loved.
“Lord, even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near” (Psalm 23:4, TPT).
Prayer
Dear Lord, I praise you for knowing everything about me and loving me with your tender care, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Who can I get to know better so we can really get to know one another and grow in our love for each other?
Related Reading
Psalm 33:18; Proverbs 16:6; 1 Peter 2:17; 1 John 4:18
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The fruit of knowing Christ is being fully known and fully loved by Christ—to be fully known and fully loved by others. #WisdomHunters #love #truth #Jesus
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