The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philippians 3:10-14, “…that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings,

being conformed to His death;

11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of

that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and

reaching forward to what lies ahead,

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

When was the last time you watched a Little League softball or baseball game? It was his fourth time at bat. All the

other kids were tired and just seemed to swing their bats in the hope of the game being over. But when Billy came up

for his final bat, he looked as if he were determined to at least get a hit. His first two swings were much like those of his teammates. He stepped out of the batter’s box, reached down and got a handful of dirt, rubbed his hands together and looked determined as the final pitch came his way. Billy hit the ball! He hit it hard! The crowd roared and his Dad

hugged him excitedly, as Billy kept saying, “I did it, Dad! I just kept trying, and I hit it!”

The Apostle Paul was a long way from the ball field, when he said, “…that I may know Him…” Oh, he had been saved. That happened on the Road to Damascus. But, there was more, much more! To really know Him! That was part of the “more.” To know Jesus is to possess and understand something of His power –the power that brought Him forth from the dead! Along with that, however, it requires knowing something of His suffering. That would call a halt to knowing more for most of us; but not for Paul. He was more than willing to die, because without death, he could never fully understand the resurrection.

True humility wants to know more: Why did He love me? How could His love prompt Him to give Himself in death for me, especially death on a cross. I don’t understand it yet, Paul said. I’m not thinking back on things experienced thus far. I’m just pressing on, taking one more swing toward the reward of fully knowing Him. It lies somewhere ahead, and it’s worth far more than life as we know it now. Oh, the blessings He has in store for those who love Him and seek Him in His fulness! Is that your challenge? It is mine! What a glorious fellowship we’ll have at the end of the game!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. If you love genuine Christ-honoring music, click on the attachment above. The LORD has blessed my sister, Carol, who

just keeps swinging the bat and hitting the ball!

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”