Philippians 1:21
“To live is Christ and to die is gain”
I am pretty confident that if you are reading this right now you are living, so what did Paul mean then by, “to live”? Doesn’t everyone living naturally experience “to live”? Most desire “to live” at a deeper level than just living. In other words, we want satisfaction and fulfillment. We want to know that our lives really matter and we fear getting to the end of our life and missing the whole purpose for our life.
Can you imagine if we could ask Paul what a full, satisfied life looked like? “Paul, what is the essence of life, what should I live for?” In Philippians 1, Paul is coming to the end of his life and it is here he makes a monumental statement that answers our questions. He says, “To live is Christ…” What does “to live is Christ” look like for us?
It means that our goals, our ambitions, our desires, our thoughts and are dreams are all caught up or find their center in following Christ. It means that I don’t just wear my religion like a jacket on Sunday morning and check the Jesus box off for the week. No! It means that my whole life, 24/7, is aimed at living for Jesus! The “to live is Christ” life means that all the purpose I desire to find in life is found in Christ’s life. He is life so all true life will be found in Him!
So how do you do it, how do you live this Christ life everyday? First, I would encourage you to study Jesus. Get to know Him by reading about Him in the Bible. The more you understand him and how amazing He is the more you will desire to live for Him! Secondly, delight in Jesus. Take time to praise Him and thank Him for all that He has done for you through his redemptive work on the cross and his gracious gift of the Spirit. Thirdly, talk about Jesus. We all talk about things we enjoy. A whatever we’re living for always fills up our conversations. So, let your conversations be about Jesus. I am not suggesting that you take up your best preacher’s voice and harass anyone unfortunate enough to cross your path. I’m just saying, don’t be afraid to open your mouth and let people know that Jesus means much to you!
The amazing thing about Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:21 is the fact that death is actually a good thing. How can this be? Because right now we live for Christ, but someday we will live with Christ. We will see him face to face!
I wonder if you are living for Christ with a “to live is Christ” mentality?
Ask yourself, “What does the story of my life say about what I believe matters in the end?”
God, help me see that you alone fill the longings of my heart to really live. Help me to not get so caught up in this life that I forget that living for you is what living is all about! Amen.
All Loss 4 Christ 