I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but
will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my
body, whether by life or by death. For
to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:20-21).
What
is missing in so many people’s lives is a clear sense of identity and
purpose. They don’t know when to say
“No” and when to say “Yes,” because they don’t know who they are or why they
are here. Paul suffered from no such
identity crisis. He knew who he was
because he knew whose he was. To live
is Christ. That summed it up. Christ was his life. He had a relationship with God because of
Christ. He had purpose in his world
because of Christ. He had an example to
follow because of Christ. He knew how to
love others because of Christ. He had a
destiny that was secure and unshakable because of Christ.
Because
Jesus Christ was Paul’s whole life, he could continue to rejoice whatever happened. In one way or another, unfolding events would
turn out for his deliverance. He might
be delivered from prison; he might be delivered from this life with all its
struggles, or he might stay in prison and just be delivered from loneliness and
anxiety, but he would be delivered
What
could be better than to know who you are and to have an unswerving commitment
to someone greater than yourself? What
could be better than to have a faith that would enable you to face life and
death, angels and demons, the present and the future, unafraid because you know
nothing can separate you from the love of God?
A
world of superficial people whose only principle often seems “What is in it for
me?” cries out for men and women with convictions to live and die for. A world of anxious people who try losing
themselves in drugs, alcohol and sensuality cries out for men and women with a
calm certainty and robust faith who can say “To live is Christ.”
Question to consider: Suppose
you are on trial for making Christ your whole life. What is the evidence to convict you of the
charge?
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