“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.”

—Philippians 3:8

Spiritual knowledge of Christ will be personal knowledge.

I cannot know Jesus through another person’s acquaintance with him. No, I must know him myself; I must know him on my own account.

It will be an intelligent knowledge—I must know him, not as the visionary dreams of him, but as the Word reveals him. I must know his natures, divine and human. I must know his offices—his attributes—his works—his shame—his glory. I must meditate upon him until I “comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge.”

It will be an affectionate knowledge of him; indeed, if I know him at all, I must love him. An ounce of heart knowledge is worth a ton of head learning.

Our knowledge of him will be satisfying knowledge. When I know my Savior, my mind will be full to the brim—I shall feel that I have that which my spirit panted after. “This is that bread whereof if a man eats he shall never hunger.”

At the same time, it will be exciting knowledge. The more I know of my Beloved, the more I shall want to know. The higher I climb the loftier will be the summits that invite my eager footsteps. I shall want the more as I get the more. Like the miser’s treasure, my gold will make me covet more.

To conclude; this knowledge of Christ Jesus will be the happiest one; in fact, so elevating, that sometimes it will completely bear me up above all trials, doubts, and sorrows; and it will, while I enjoy it, make me something more than a “man that is born of woman, who is of few days, and full of trouble.” For it will fling about me the immortality of the ever-living Savior, and gird me with the golden girdle of his eternal joy. Come, my soul, sit at Jesus’s feet and learn of him all this day.

• Adapted from C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening: Daily Readings (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1896).