Sharon Betters

Today’s Treasure

What drives you? What is your ultimate goal? When you come to the end of your life, what will be your identity?

I achieved my career goals.
I built my own business.
My marriage was almost perfect.
I was a wonderful mother.
Everyone knows my grandkids think I’m the best.

No bad goals here! But as a Christian, there is one goal that trumps all others. Unless we intentionally review how we are investing our lives, this goal can get lost. In our Daily Treasure, Philippians 3:8-11, Paul exclaims his life goal:

I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…
I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him….
My own righteousness means nothing… (no legalism here)
That I may know him and the power of his resurrection…
That I may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in death…

LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT

Christianity is not about rules. The joy of Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus that grows deeper and deeper. Jesus prayed this very goal right before the crucifixion:

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God,

and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

John 17:3

Many people know Jesus but they don’t “know” Him. I know lots of people by their reputation, but I’ve never met them, so I don’t really know them. There is nothing personal about our relationship. There are others whom I know, but the relationship is superficial. Many know about Jesus. They know about His birth, life, miracles, crucifixion, and resurrection. But they have not met Him personally. They have no intimacy with Him.

When you meet Jesus personally, you not only know all of these basic truths, you recognize you need forgiveness of sins and He is the only One Who can forgive you. You now know your own righteousness or rules keeping will not give you eternal life. You know you cannot climb a ladder to heaven. Instead, like Paul, you learn your own righteousness is worthless.

Once you meet Him and experience salvation, then what? He invites you to cultivate a relationship with Him, the same as you cultivate intimacy with anyone you love or your love will wane. How often does this happen in a marriage? A couple meets and spends every minute possible with one another. Then years after their marriage they suddenly realize they don’t really know the person with whom they are doing life. I love it when I meet a new Christian who cannot get enough of God’s Word. She looks forward to Bible study, spending time pouring over scriptures, experiencing aha moments as she learns more about her Savior’s love for her. And then life happens. We get busy and though our love for Jesus is intact, our passion for Him fades.

Paul’s passion for Jesus reminds us that the goal of every Christian is to not just know about Jesus but to intimately know Him. As we rejoice in the resurrection power of Easter, is there any better time than today to renew your relationship to Jesus?

PRAYER

Father, sometimes in the mundane moments of life, we forget our passion to know You. Your love overwhelms me when I realize that my negligence of our relationship doesn’t change Your love for me. Your invitation to “taste and see that the Lord is good” still stands.

Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.

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Contact Sharon with comments or questions at d ailytreasure@markinc.org.

I Want to Know Him