Yesterday, I was memorizing Philippians 1. I kept reading and re-reading verse 21-23:
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”
This made me wonder whether I truly hold Christ above all else in my heart. Am I so in love with Him that I would gladly leave all I know and love in this life to be with Him? Am I actually eager to look upon His face?
How could I ever really know? Sure, it’s one thing to say this from the safety of health and the appearance of security. It’s a completely different thing to say this in the moment you feel your life slipping from you. Who will I be then? Panicked? Afraid? Excited? Will I be ready for death new life?
I want to train now for that moment–fully surrendering to Him anything and everything that I know and love, “count[ing] everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8), and eagerly anticipating the day He calls me home.
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 3:14
substance over shadows 