Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Although he was a prisoner in Rome, Paul’s faith made him strong and committed to his Lord’s service. By his faith, he knew that whether he lived or died, he was in the hands of the Lord and his faith moved him to declare that his purpose was to worshipfully serve his Lord as long as he lived. But, death would be “gain”; that is death would bring him joy and peace, greater than anything that he could possibly enjoy in this present life. While some folks are motivated to obtain great personal honor, amass wealth, accomplish some intriguing feat, or enjoy the natural blessings of this present world; the motive and purpose of true believers is to spend their life worshiping and serving Jesus Christ Who is our Blessed and Holy Savior. I often reflect upon what it means to be a totally dedicated servant of God. Timothy was so committed to the Lord’s service that he even submitted to circumcision, after he was a grown man, just so that he could preach to the Jews (Acts 16:3); although “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing” (I Corinthians 7:19). In our present day, with all the blessings and benefits we enjoy, we should pause for a bit and prayerfully reflect upon what Paul meant when he declared that “to live is Christ”! From the context, it is clear that our greatest joy and peace, in this present life, comes to us as we commit ourselves to the Lord’s service and to worship Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23); such conviction thrives, even when sufferings and tribulations afflict us with disadvantage and pain. Let us all joyfully proclaim, “to live is Christ”!