For me to live is Christ to die is gain

I seem to have to assure people whenever I talk about this verse from Philippians 1:21, that I am not suicidal. The point though, is that I have caught enough glimpses of heaven, that at some level, I am homesick to go to my eternal home. When I was going through treatment for the aggressive prostrate cancer I was diagnosed with, a friend of mine said to me “You’re not afraid to die are you!” And I’m not! I don’t want it to be painful though, and I have put in my request accordingly.

But I feel very much like Paul (the author of Philippians) on two accounts. First of all for me life is all about living for Him. I’m not saying I do this perfectly, and I’m not saying that I don’t find life hard at times, because I do. But I have walked with Him for well over 40 years, and I know that life in Him works, whereas at least for me, fullness of life is found only in Hm (John 10:10b).

The second area where I feel like Paul, concerns his telling us that he did not feel that his ministry to others was done (verses 25 and 26). There there are two things here, the first concerns the needs of others for ministry. The second, at least for me, is that there is great satisfaction and joy in helping others come into their full potential. I am not saying I have fully achieved this myself (Philippians 3:13,14), but this is my calling, and I find it both exciting and frustrating.

Father, I thank You for the joy and peace you give me as I choose to trust You on a daily basis. Life is not without pain, but life is good. There are times though that I long for You to take me home, there are so many things that grieve me down here. But like Paul back then, I am not sensing that the work that You have for me to do (Ephesians 2:10) is done. And I know that You will continue to give me all that I need to be able to say “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” In Jesus Name Amen