The Fruit of My Labor. Philippians 1:22-24. “But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not.” Paul could see the benefits of both life and death, so he was torn between them. Death meant being with his Savior and Lord, while life meant having the chance to minister God's word to the Philippians and others. He naturally longed to be with the Lord Jesus Christ, but he also recognized the importance of spreading the Gospel and teaching God's people so they would be strengthened and encouraged in their faith.
The spread of the Gospel and the joy it brings are what make my life so fulfilling. More meaningful than my words is the joy I feel when a congregation sings passionately after a new believer confesses Christ as their personal Savior, “O happy day, O happy day when Jesus washed my sins away…” But this joy results from a series of holy and daily events that have happened over time. That result comes through the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord sent to dwell within each believer, gift, guide, and use them in ways suited to the person and the need that must be met.
He remains and continually dwells in every one of God’s children to produce what can bring glory to God in each life. The Spirit of God grants believers the privilege to speak for their Lord, sharing words of life with those who are dead in sin. The Gospel spreads through them, and believers are gathered together to be strengthened in their faith. Through them and their communities, God demonstrates His grace as they teach their own children and others. They live as God’s family because they are brothers and sisters who have been spiritually reborn. They lead a new lifestyle that has changed them, which is obvious to those who knew them in the past; it differs from the way of the world.
Believers' lives belong to Christ, so while we live in this world, we represent Him. After we die, we will see Him. Either of these conditions is good for a child of God. Our Lord does not want us to leave where He has placed us until the time comes when He takes us home. Our calling and service for Him here are important for helping others. Being “with Christ” is far better for me.
We don’t know much about what it is like to be with Christ after death and before the resurrection of our bodies. There is a consciousness of being in His presence, capable of joy, awareness of what is happening elsewhere, rejoicing when souls are saved, and the ability to praise and worship our Lord Jesus Christ. All of this and more must be part of how we live with Him in soul and spirit, even though we are “unclothed” in terms of having a body like His. The bodies we have now are merely physical matter that allows our souls and spirits to express themselves visibly. They are so connected to the earth that we can easily fall into sin, as our earthly bodies are drawn to feelings and temptations.
Our physical bodies are not sacred, but when we surrender our souls and spirits that are sanctified to the Lord, they can be used to bring glory to God. We really do not know what is best regarding our time on earth, but we do know we are to present our bodies to the Lord as living sacrifices to serve as priests. That doesn’t change our bodies, but it does change how we allow our bodies to be used and what we actually do with them.
A community darkened by sin can now find light and a conscience that the Holy Spirit has awakened through new believers. This public conscience is rooted in morality and laws that show what is right to those in darkness. It can bring the light of life when they also listen to the word of God and the preaching of the Gospel. The process is ongoing and has spread worldwide. The fruit of my prayer is that this work will remain committed to God and His unchanging truth—and with joy, knowing that someday we will share in this God-given fruit.
A Narrow Place. Philippians 1:23. “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ; which is far better:” There are times and places in life when we face difficult decisions. Should I do what I find pleasing, or is there a better path that aligns more with the calling God has placed on me? If I choose the easier route, my struggles might end, and I could finally find peace. However, if I take the harder path, it could be the best choice for others.
When preaching the Gospel, some places seem very hard, and people show little interest in facing themselves or the Lord. Night after night, speaking to people or preaching the Gospel without seeing results tends to make me discouraged and tired. But then, some will come much later and say, “I never told you I was saved years ago when you preached in our town.” During those difficult times when we were discouraged because nothing seemed to have been accomplished for eternity, our gracious God, in His grace, saved souls despite our lack of faith.
There are those straits, those narrow times we sometimes go through when we’ve experienced so much pain that we want to die. To our heavenly Father, we cry, “I’ve had enough; please take me home.” Then, perhaps later — or maybe never — some suffering believers will say, “I learned from you when you were in pain to cast my care on God each day.” They discover how crucial it is to put our burden into spoken words and then intentionally share it with our gracious God.
The Lord is coming, and it could be today that we will be called into His presence. I am eager to see Him, for it signifies a new day beginning, and that we are finally free from sin forever. Then I think of some people I know who are not yet ready to meet their Maker. Part of me wants to go, but another part says, “Please wait until I know they have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.”
I know some things are right, but the timing is off because there's more to consider than just today. The narrow places I go through make me stronger and are where I pause to remember that God has not given us all the reasons for everything He allows us to go through in life. There is a big picture; maybe someday, God will reveal all the results and reasons why these things happened in our lives.
We all need to recognize the value of living and strive to live life fully for the glory of God. Let us be bold in our desire for God to be glorified through the work of the Gospel and service to the saints. At the same time, don't worry too much about whether we are comfortable or uncomfortable because of that work. If we have comfortable circumstances, let us be grateful and use them wisely for God's glory. If we can barely get by, let alone minister to others, we should commit ourselves to being spiritually helpful to others through prayer or in any way we can.