“I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
PHILIPPIANS 1:20-21
My wife is extremely blessed, you see both sets of her grandparents love the Lord Jesus with everything in them, and have done a great job modeling Christ to her since she was a young child. Recently though, we had to come to grips with the fact that we were in the final stages of her grandmother Polly’s life. The cancer that has been waging war with her body for over 3 years, eventually won, and Polly went Home to be with our Lord.
Two Christmas’ ago, while Polly was still with us, she got released from the hospital and was able to come home and spend time with her husband and her family. One morning, the family decided to go for a visit and spend some time with Polly. As we gathered around her bed and asked how she was feeling, and what the doctors were telling her, all Polly wanted to do was talk about the Lord, and what He was doing in her life and in the lives of those who she came into contact with. We started to sing worship songs, first softly, and with each song our voices grew stronger. We watched Polly lift her hands and praise the Lord. It was an amazing moment for me. To be able to witness a woman who is dying, her body failing, her arms so weak, praising Christ with every ounce of strength she had in her. It caused me to ask myself, “Lord, would I be praising you, if my body was breaking down and I knew my time with my family was almost up?”
Polly’s attitude, echoed the Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 1:20-21, “I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Paul (and Polly) understood something about a life of purpose. Much has been said and written lately about purpose. Read over Paul’s words in Philippians. He clearly had a purpose! He clearly was carrying out a mandate. Whatever it takes to help in the process of bringing glory to God’s name, Paul would do it. What about you? Can you say with a clear conscience that your purpose for living is to bring God’s Name glory, so that no matter by life or death, His name will be proclaimed?
Travis Connick 