It has come to this. . .
All I have in material possessions sold, given away, or (a very small amount) in storage. Gone. Poof!
Furniture, furnishings, that have reminded me of who I am and whose son I am. . . gone. Donated, in fact. No one can recognize quality furniture these days, or if they can, they don't care.
All just memories. It's as though I conducted a "Living Estate Sale," and indeed I have. This world couldn't care less about my possessions. It matters not to them one whit.
This residence, Pilgrim's Rest, where I first lived and grew up, and spent a lot of my adult years as well. . . now sold. Escrow officially closed today. 60 years in one family, three generations. Gone. Like that.
In that context, Graham Kendrick's worship song "Knowing You (All I Once Held Dear) has significant meaning to me. I can say like the Apostle Paul
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith - that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11, ESV, emphasis mine)
Share his sufferings. . . well, hmm. . . not nearly as much as the Apostle Paul in such a delightful place as our next permanent residence, Cuenca, Ecuador. But yes. . . becoming like him. . . in his death. Yes, Lord. I'm willing. I'm going following you to a land I never went to before, because this thing pleases you as I become even more obedient to your Word in my personal life, my habits and practices in the financial and health realms. Knowing you, Jesus. . . knowing you. . . there is no greater thing!
With that perspective, I now give you the wonderful Graham Kendrick and his inspiring song based on the Philippians passage cited above.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkr9p09k01I
If you want to follow along and sing the words as they are being sung, this page from Graham Kendrick has the words for you. Well crafted, theologically sound lyrics. . . a real treat. You'll no doubt be touched, as I have been.
http://www.grahamkendrick.co.uk/songs/item/2-knowing-you-all-i-once-held-dear
