I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

- Philippians 3:10-11

Paul's focus shifts from knowing Christ in his resurrection to knowing him in ours. Death looms on the horizon for each of us. Between now and then, hopefully, there will be lots of life and fun and happiness. And so much joy.

But in our fallen world, death comes for us all. And something comes after that.

Throughout his writings Paul envisions what one author calls "life after life-after-death." This is the hope of resurrection. One day, God will raise all who are in Christ and our new lives will begin.

CS Lewis once said "Once a man is united to God, how could he not live forever?"

This fills out our picture of knowing Christ. We know him in what he's already done (his resurrection) and in what he's doing now (as we participate in his suffering and become like him). But we also will know him even more deeply and sweetly on the other side of death.

Our relationship with Christ will continue beyond the gates of death and so our knowing of him will continue to grow. Perhaps this is why the anonymous poet wrote:

When we've been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we've no less days to sing God's praise
than when we first begun.

How does knowing that there's no end to knowing Christ influence your relationship with him today?

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