In Christ for Others

Toward a New Creation
Life on God's Terms

Death Becomes Life

Philippians 1:20-26  The Message

^18-21 So how am I to respond? I’ve decided that I really don’t care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on!
And I’m going to keep that celebration going because I know how it’s going to turn out. Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done. I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don’t expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn’t shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.
^22-26 As long as I’m alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I’d choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it’s better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues. You can start looking forward to a great reunion when I come visit you again. We’ll be praising Christ, enjoying each other.

For Reflection

I was impressed with a Scottish minister who visited and spoke at our church when I was a teen.  His tag line was "Ye can trample down the heather, but ye canna trample the wind. ."   Paul is imprisoned and yet the gospel is not diminished.  Rather, it is advanced.  God works to make all things good.
Pray

for the hope of Paul.  Pray for the confidence of Paul.  Pray for the passion of Paul.  Pray for the Paul in each of us.