“For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
Lord Jesus, there was a time when I thought of these bold words of Paul as the creed reserved for Apostles, martyrs, and spiritual giants. Because they earned it, by their hard work and sacrifice. How foolish of me—how Gospel-opposite.
By your finished work and ultimate sacrifice, you earned this grace-filled affirmation for each of us. It became legally ours, the very moment our relationship with you began. It becomes liberatingly ours, as our relationship with you deepens, and we get to know you better and better.
That’s what we want, Lord Jesus. We crave, ache, long to say with Paul, “compared to the excellency of knowing Christ, I consider everything else rubbish” (Phil. 3:8-10). When you are our treasure, other things shrink in value and power. Only you deserve the right to define life and death for us.
Because of what you have done for us, Jesus, life for us no longer has to be…
- Striving to save ourselves by doing more and trying harder.
- Making a name for ourselves, and a mark in our world.
- Being noticed, loved, and adored by “mere” people.
- Posing, pretending, and coping our way through life.
- Getting more stuff, and having less pain.
Indeed, because of you, Lord Jesus, even death no longer has to be feared. It’s actually a gain—gaining more of you. Astonishing, true, and freeing—thank you. Make it all new again. Hallelujah, and Amen.
