Gain!

Gain!

Philippians 1:20-21 KJV

[20] according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. [21] For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

There comes a time in every life that the scale of priorities must be clearly defined. Just as in life, we define what is important to us, and we expend energy and resources toward the fulfilment or achievement of those things, so does this apply to the spiritual. Paul, writing to the church in Philippi, had reason to lay this out clearly, using his own life as the template for what would be acceptable to God. It must first be clearly noted who sits at the control center of my life. This would define the things that are important to me, and will determine the allocation of scarce resources. There are no sufficient resources to play opposite sides at the same time. There is no room for lukewarmness, as the Bible has made so clear that God hates. I have to pick a aide and then apply myself fully to the requirements and demands of the side I have chosen. Who sits at the control center of your life? Who defines the things you pursue? 

For  Paul, it was God now. It was not always God, because he had a colourful past. He met Christ on one of his many trips to perpetuate evil, and his life was turned around. Consider the journey of a man's life that could make him say that he was sure of his eternal safety, so he was not ashamed of his current choices and priorities. There was someone and something holding his heart so close that nothing else could take His place. He could face challenges and troubles with boldness, as well as enjoy the abundant grace of God, simply because of God, who was the centrepiece of his life. We do not yet know the full extent of the blessings that await us in heaven, but we have a hope that fills our hearts with joy, and we can look beyond our present trials, and embrace the hope that is birthed in us by the presence of the Holy Spirit. When He is in, you have all you need. If He is not in, it does not matter what else you have.

Like Paul then, so must we also embrace the reality of earthly impact and eternal life. Both are important. God saved me from sin, and then left me on earth so that I can be the physical representation of His eternal nature and power. Which other person can present God's nature in reality that one who has personally experienced Him? This is why Paul could look ahead to trials and tough times, because he knew what lay ahead. It did not matter what the present looked like; the weight of glory that was ahead made the journey and experience worth it. For me, it has to be the same: no matter what I am going through right now, it is just a precursor to the amazing things that God has promised for all who fear and honour Him. To live is Christ; my life must show off the One who loved me enough to die for me. Death just becomes a passage into the glory that was promised. In life or death, Jesus owns and holds me. What of you? God's time of favour is here.