Things To Be Thankful For: The Surpassing Greatness of Knowing Christ Jesus my Lord

Saturday, 12 November 2011

The Surpassing Greatness of Knowing Christ Jesus my Lord

'What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ'

In this exercise of writing things that I am thankful for it should be noted that these posts are not written in order of priority, hence today's post is not the first one!The words above are taken from St Paul's letter to the Philippians and echo in the hearts of all those who have tasted of knowledge of Christ.

My own experience of God would have started as a child when I heard the wonderful stories of Jesus at Sunday School and at the 'wee' meetings that were taken by faithful Christian workers in the green field in the middle of the housing estate where I lived. Also my mum and dad would sing hymns and in particular an old time favourite which had the chorus 'Tell me the old old story of Jesus and His love.'As a child God was very real to me as I would talk to him each night. I knew he was real, I knew he was my friend and I knew he was good. But as I got older I became more crafty and lost childlike faith. I became a practical atheist, my god became football and I 'went astray'and drifted from what I had once held to be true.

God then sent people into my life: B.B. officers, Crusader leaders,certain school teachers and finally two young evangelists who arrived at my door one Saturday afternoon in 1973. I responded to the message but did not at that time experience the joy of that relationship.After about a year and being influenced by books such as God's Smuggler and against the tide the biographies of Brother Andrew and Watchman Nee the famous Chinese Christian along with the hymns and poetry of Wesley and Tersteegen God revealed himself to me in an incredible way. My life became simple yet I knew God was so close to me.I was not immune to trials and tribulations and was buffeted by Satan's attacks when I believed that I had committed the 'unforgivable sin'.But God in his grace preserved me and was able to use it to strengthen me in the same way a footballer in days gone by would use a 'medicine ball' to strengthen the kicking power of his weaker foot.

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Gracias

In his book entitled “Gracias,” Henri Nouwen talks about his experience in Peru and Bolivia, he writes: "The title of this (book) summarizes what I found, learned, and heard. The word that I kept hearing, wherever I went, was: Gracias! It sounded like the refrain from a long ballad of events. Gracias a usted, gracias a Dios, muchas gracias––thank you, thanks be to God, many thanks! I saw thousands of poor and hungry children, I met many young men and women without money, a job, or a decent place to live. I spent long hours with sick, elderly people, and I witnessed more misery and pain than ever before in my life. But, in the midst of it all, that word lifted me again and again to a new realm of seeing and hearing: 'Gracias! Thanks!”

"In many of the families I visited nothing was certain, nothing predictable, nothing totally safe. Maybe there would be food tomorrow, maybe there would be work tomorrow, maybe there would be peace tomorrow. Maybe, maybe not. But whatever is given––money, food, work, a handshake, a smile, a good word, or an embrace––is a reason to rejoice and say gracias. What I claim as a right, my friends in Bolivia and Peru received as a gift; what is obvious to me was a joyful surprise to them; what I take for granted, they celebrate in thanksgiving; what for me goes by unnoticed became for them a new occasion to say thanks.”

"And slowly I learned. I learned what I must have forgotten somewhere in my busy, well-planned, and very "useful" life. I learned that everything that is, is freely given by the God of love. All is grace. Light and water, shelter and food, work and free time, children, parents and grandparents, birth and death––it is all given to us. Why? So that we can say gracias, thanks: thanks to God, thanks to each other, thanks to all and everyone.”