I was asked a few weeks ago if I would consider writing a song on the phrase, “That I May Know Him.” This is from a beautiful, and familiar, passage of Scripture.
“But what things were gain to me,
those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,
and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death;”
(Phil. 2:7-10)
I began to read this passage and the surrounding chapters, and to pray about writing a song on this thought. What an amazing privilege we have to know Christ! Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so eloquently expressed his greatest desire and aspiration – to know Christ more fully. Everything else in his life paled in comparison.
We see in Philippians chapter two that Jesus Christ was willing to humble Himself, to be a man, to be a servant, to be our sacrifice. Why? That I may know Him.
In chapter three, we see that Paul, because of all that Christ had done for him, was also willing to lay aside his previous attainments, his personal aspirations and desires, even his freedoms and comforts. Why? In his words, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”
I have tried to convey, in musical form, these thoughts. The hymn-style sheet music is now available.
I pray that this song will encourage each of us to consider all that Christ has done for us, and to desire, as Paul did, “that I may know Him.”
Why did Christ Jesus, who is God,
Take on the form of man?
Become a humble servant,
And fulfill the Father’s plan?
Why would He suffer agony,
For sins He had not done?
Why did He die upon the cross,
Although He was God’s Son?
That I may know Him,
And His resurrection power,
The fellowship found at His side
In suffering’s darkest hour.
To be conformed unto His death,
To love and serve Him with each breath,
There is no greater honor I might win,
That I may know Him.
No other prizes I may gain
Compare unto His cross,
The other things I may attain,
I count them all as loss
There is no higher calling
To which I may aspire,
I follow after this one thing,
It is my heart’s desire.
That I may know Him,
And His resurrection power,
The fellowship found at His side
In suffering’s darkest hour.
To be conformed unto His death,
To love and serve Him with each breath,
There is no greater honor I might win,
That I may know Him.
© Copyright 2020 Niki Lott.
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