I hope you walked closely with the Lord through Holy Week, and trust that God blessed you abundantly!

Normally I’d be writing this April letter in anticipation of Easter, but since it all came so early this year, I’ll share a bit of application instead.

What does the Resurrection of Christ have to do with our daily, moment-by-moment living as disciples of Jesus? Well, the apostle Paul wrote that, in addition to the reward waiting for us at the end of time (v. 11) the resurrection offers us an essential resource today.

In the midst of Paul’s discussion about leaving everything behind to follow Christ (v. 7-9), he describes his deep desire to “know Him, and the power of His resurrection . . .” Not just to “know about” the fact of the Resurrection, but to “Know the Power” of it. To experientially know and live in the same power of God that raised Christ from the dead. Paul goes on to mention knowing the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings as well.

I take all this to mean that as disciples of Jesus, with all the sacrificing and suffering that comes with the calling, there is a resource available to bring us safely through to the end. The “Power of His Resurrection” belongs to the Christian.

Do you “know” Him? Do you “know” the fellowship of His sufferings? I want to. I want to “count all things as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord . . . And the power of His resurrection . . .” (v. 8, 10).

Will you join me in praying for God the Father to show us how? To make this a reality in our lives and in our church? To make the resurrection a future hope, and an ever-present “Knowledge”?

Serving Him by your side,