Friday, April 3, 2020

Above All


Friday, April 3, 2020

For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.  But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ.  So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires:  I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.  But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.  Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith.  And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.  Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.  Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies.  This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.  For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.  We are in this struggle together.  You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.  Philippians 1:21-30

Those who have lived long enough to have a sense that their days left on this planet are perhaps much less than the days they’ve already lived, develop one of two outlooks:
1.     Frantic activity to catch-up, to do what has been left undone
2.     At peace with what is, and what will be.
Apostle Paul is a study in the thin space between the two.  He was writing from a Roman prison to a group of people he loved dearly.  He sensed there was still much he could do to help them grow into the Christian force he’d envisioned when first they met.  Yet, Paul was at peace with the understanding that they were in God’s hands always; Paul was ready to see Christ face to face.
The one piece of work left for Paul in his circumstance was to encourage the church to stand with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.  He knew accomplishing this would only come about when believers unreservedly, above all, commit their lives to the faith.  The mission was in WHO Christ had called them to be, and HOW Christ had called them to live.  It was all about Christ…never about Paul.
I’m one of those people with a lot less days ahead.  Truth be told, I tend toward the frantic, frenetic worry that things are undone.  But I have (at least) learned that is a distraction.  The call to mission is never sounded with fearfulness.  The real mission is always just ahead, no matter how many days that may be.  It is always the next breath, next step, next person who crosses my pathway. 
Like Paul, I’m enthusiastic about finally coming face-to-face with Christ; like Paul, I’m also content here, living each day in communion with Him, and fellowship with all who are Christ’s, and the possibility of ministry to all who need to grow closer to He who is ABOVE ALL! 
Paul called on the Philippian believers to remember to honor Jesus with the way they lived their lives.  His word calls to us also, because, in this way we demonstrate to anyone who has eyes to see what it’s like to trust Christ completely.  That is our above all mission!
For You Today
The old Gospel song is our final word today on Paul’s wake-up call:
I am satisfied, I am satisfied, I am satisfied with Jesus,
But the question comes to me, As I think of Calvary,
Is my Master satisfied with me?
You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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Title Image:  Pixabay.com  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©
Other posts on Philippians 1 see What to Do and Confrontation with God                                                        and Ambivalence with Confidence 

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