To live is Christ and to Die is Gain

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in that faith." Philippians 1:21-25

I came across these verses this morning and it stood out so boldly I had to go back and re-read it a couple of times. I love the first statement Paul makes, To live is Christ and to die is gain. What the heck? I have heard this many times before, but had I really understood it? Can we ever understand it?
Those words sent a shiver up my spine.
The Word shows account after account that Christ's life on earth was not easy or comfortable. Everywhere He went He was either expected to do some miraculous healing or sarcastically confronted about His teachings from religious leaders. He was the most humble person and yet had to be a leader at the same time. He had to teach His disciples patience and faith every day because they just didn't get it. He wasn't at home and though he created crowds.. I guarantee he never fit into any crowds. I love when he is a boy and Mary can't find him anywhere.. and when she finds him in the church he wonders out loud why she is so surprised that he is in his Father's house. And of course we can't forget his brutal death and ridicule.. and the persecution.

Jesus did not come here to sit in his la-z-boy and lounge around the house.. moping about the vile state of the people around him. He chose to live a life of hard work and of perseverance... I could go on, but we know how Jesus lived and my thoughts would be second-hand words of a much greater story.

So to live. To live is Christ. Paul is telling us.. at least telling me at this season in my life.. that to live is to sacrifice and live as Jesus lived. In this verse Paul speaks my heart. Some days I am so sick of dealing with worldly things that I am SO ready to go to heaven and be without persecution. He says that to die is to gain.. it is so much better to die because we will be with our Father once more. But as we are called to live on this earth, we must pursue the model of how Jesus lived.

The whole book of Philippians speaks of how this world is nothing but rubbish, and how Paul longs to be with his Creator, and perseveres until that moment.. Yet by staying behind a little longer He is able to speak to others about Jesus' love. He still has a part to play in this small time he has on the earth. And though dying would be gain, He urges us to live as Christ lived so that we may be used by the Spirit to bring others to Christ.

Do I live each day with this knowledge? No, this is a deep conviction of the soul. If anyone can say this doesn't bother them, I'd seriously ask them to check their relationship with God. I am touched that people say they "like my blog" or my thoughts, but man, does it matter if you aren't getting anything out of what Jesus is saying to you? I'd rather hear silence then be told my writing is "good". I don't intend it to make people smile or make people feel bad. I just want to urge believers and non-believers alike to remember why we are here. Guess what? Going to church doesn't save you. Baptism doesn't save you. Prayer before dinner doesn't save you. Love and Peace doesn't save you. good deeds don't save you. Jesus' blood saved you, can you accept that? And can we live a life pursuing how He lived? Can we live so full of Christ and out of this world that we know without a doubt that death would be gain? Can we truly say we believe this?

My beautiful friend opened up to me today about how her job is so hard because she wants to base her work around Jesus and how He lived on this earth. Of course her boss doesn't understand the importance of this and I know her frustrations. Every day we live in this world it becomes less and less "cool" to be a follower of Christ. the word "christian" is a mockery in many social circles and institutions. It scares me every time I reveal a new art work that involves Christ, knowing full well that my faith is revealed to be slandered and mocked. I look at Amelia and Shana who have given up their comfortable conditions to follow Jesus in unsure circumstances whether it be in Africa or amongst the homeless. I look at Dave and Lindsey choosing to be campus ministers and trusting God in the unknown rather than searching for more stable jobs that the world would approve of. These are the everyday persecutions that reminds us that death will be our reward, because it will be with our amazing Creator. But these persecutions are also our joy because Jesus, our God, suffered even more so than us, and He knows what we are going through. And He continues to ask us to persevere until that day of gain... Which is much nearer than any of us think.