“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Philippians 1:21 (NIV)
Think about it. Living for Christ. Ministering for Christ. Giving glory to Christ. Glorifying Christ is what Paul lived for. It was what consumed him. It awakened him in the morning. It motivated him throughout his day. And it was the last thing he thought about before closing his eyes in sleep. If we listen closely, we can almost hear the shout of praise bubbling up in his soul.
We might try to excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, Paul was a special case. He had God’s special call and special anointing. I don’t have that. Paul was a preacher and I’m not.” Certainly we should not apply Paul’s calling and ministry to our own. Yet, we might consider this from a different perspective. Paul was in love with the Savior and he was obeying the purpose of his life. This criterion alone explains his motivation and success.
What would happen in our families if we became engrossed with our love for the Savior? What would happen in our communities if we were consumed with bringing glory to Christ? Imagine what would happen in our churches if we discovered our purposes in life and began to pursue them with the passion of Paul.
Dear Father, thank you for your grace and mercy. Enable us to discover the purpose in our lives and empower us to pursue it with a zeal motivated by love for the Savior. This I pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN