To know you in your sufferings.

I have fallen in love with this song called knowing you. its a hymn here is the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGbuz8QuhmE

This is a great song! but buried within the fourth verse is a phrase that makes me a little uncomfortable. it says:

Oh to know the power of Your risen life,
And to know You in Your sufferings;
To become like You in Your death, my Lord,
So with You to live and never die.

As I think about what this phrase means and how it applies to my life ,I'am hit with two things.

One is that we can't be afraid to know Christ in his sufferings, because if we are afraid of what mere man can do to us we will never advance the Gospel.
The Bible says:
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
So if we are made perfect in love, we need not be afraid of anything. I mean whats the worst that could happen? which brings me to my second though.

Second "To become like You in Your death, my Lord." Are we prepared to lose it "all" so that others can hear about Jesus. I think I can say that I am.

Php 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

So the worst people can do is promote you to Jesus' feet.

God bless!