Passage
If I am to continue living, it means fruitful labor for me. What the outcome for me will be, though, I
cannot tell. I am torn between the
two. I desire to be done with this world
and to be with Christ, for that is far better.
But for the sake of the spiritual people in my life, it is necessary for
me to remain.
Thoughts for Today
First Thought:
Life is fruit. For
Paul, a day lived is a day that the seed of faith can be planted or
nurtured. A day lived isn’t a day spent
accomplishing the agenda of his flesh. A
day lived is fruitful labor for the sake of God.
What makes this perspective hard to live out? What can make this perspective easier to live
out? How good are you at looking at each
day with a perspective of bearing fruit through planting and nurturing seeds of
faith?
Second Thought:
Paul does not know what the
outcome is going to be. He doesn’t know
whether he will live or die. Yet, in
spite of this uncertainty he is focusing on God’s work. He is focusing on nurturing the faith of the
Philippians through this letter. It
would be easy to try and draw other people into his situation. But for Paul, this isn’t about getting other
people to carry his burden. Even this
uncertainty is a time to help other people grow in the faith through his
experience!
How can this help us see Paul as
one of the consummate teachers of history?
How can this passage speak to you about the selfless nature of spiritual
leadership?
Third Thought:
This passage speaks into my soul. There is a point in life when one has dealt
enough with sin that I just want it over.
I just want to be with God. I
want to live in the perfection that He intended us to have when He created us. There is a point when that is all I
want. Yet at the same time, I know that
God has called me to do His will here.
He has a plan and an agenda for me.
That doesn’t mean that being with God wouldn’t still be better. But it does mean I’ve got work to do
here! I feel for Paul as he writes this
passage and I understand completely from where he is coming!
What makes it difficult to say that we just want to be with
God? What makes it difficult to say that
being with God in heaven is better? What
can help us desire to be with God yet still be encouraged to work here on this
earth as He calls?
Passage for Tomorrow: Philippians 1:25-26
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