It's a cold, overcast, dreary winter morning. I hate winter.
February has got to be one of the worst times to be a teacher. It's that long third quarter that has no end in sight with state testing right around the corner. What's worse, it's winter. On cold, melancholy winter days like this I long for home. Not my house...my home; the one I'm waiting for when this life is over. It's kind of strange when you think about the Christian's relationship to this world: be in it but not of it; live in it but be seperate from it. In terms of our physical lives we want to be healed and live a long time...sort of. Then again, the quicker this physical man dies the sooner this spiritual man can really "go home". This has got to be one of my absolute favorite passages of scripture. Paul hits it right on the head. Even in the Christian life there are those things you want to do and the things you know you should do. This most quotable line, "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain" emphesizes that while we are to enjoy the work He has put us here to do, we recognize that the best is still to come; that one day we'll shake off the fetters of this life and rest one day in our eternal home - the place we really belong.
It probably seems peculiar to people of this postmodern period (ah aliteration). Not that we wait anxiously for our death, but that we don't spend ourselves in efforts to preserve our lives. At least we shouldn't. I don't think some Christians have totally caught hold of what Paul is talking about here. We live in a culture that works feverishly trying to stretch out this life as long as possible and spends all of its time, money, and effort making this life as long and as happy and as comfortable as possible. Some Christians have been infected with this same attitude and thus get their eyes fixed on the temporal (i.e. Prosperity Gospel, "God wants you to have everything you ever thought you wanted: cars, houses, money...). Why do so many of us sell out for the cheap junk this world has to offer? The Bible tells us this life is trash compared to the eternity that God has prepared for us. How, then, should we act?
Kamikazes. But not for death; for life. Not for hate, but love. We need to learn again what it is to not fear death; to be anxious to give our lives, whether living or dying, for Christ and His gospel. It's only in learning how to die that we learn to truly live. In the words of the ancients, "Come, Lord Jesus."
Philippians 1
To Live Is Christ
Yes, and I will rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
February has got to be one of the worst times to be a teacher. It's that long third quarter that has no end in sight with state testing right around the corner. What's worse, it's winter. On cold, melancholy winter days like this I long for home. Not my house...my home; the one I'm waiting for when this life is over. It's kind of strange when you think about the Christian's relationship to this world: be in it but not of it; live in it but be seperate from it. In terms of our physical lives we want to be healed and live a long time...sort of. Then again, the quicker this physical man dies the sooner this spiritual man can really "go home". This has got to be one of my absolute favorite passages of scripture. Paul hits it right on the head. Even in the Christian life there are those things you want to do and the things you know you should do. This most quotable line, "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain" emphesizes that while we are to enjoy the work He has put us here to do, we recognize that the best is still to come; that one day we'll shake off the fetters of this life and rest one day in our eternal home - the place we really belong.
It probably seems peculiar to people of this postmodern period (ah aliteration). Not that we wait anxiously for our death, but that we don't spend ourselves in efforts to preserve our lives. At least we shouldn't. I don't think some Christians have totally caught hold of what Paul is talking about here. We live in a culture that works feverishly trying to stretch out this life as long as possible and spends all of its time, money, and effort making this life as long and as happy and as comfortable as possible. Some Christians have been infected with this same attitude and thus get their eyes fixed on the temporal (i.e. Prosperity Gospel, "God wants you to have everything you ever thought you wanted: cars, houses, money...). Why do so many of us sell out for the cheap junk this world has to offer? The Bible tells us this life is trash compared to the eternity that God has prepared for us. How, then, should we act?
Kamikazes. But not for death; for life. Not for hate, but love. We need to learn again what it is to not fear death; to be anxious to give our lives, whether living or dying, for Christ and His gospel. It's only in learning how to die that we learn to truly live. In the words of the ancients, "Come, Lord Jesus."
Revelation 21
1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
"When the shadows of this life have gone, I'll fly away!
Like a bird through prison bars has flown, I'll fly away!"
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