Fruitful Labor

I was reading in Philippians 1 this morning. I journaled some thoughts on the whole chapter, but I'm trying to keep my blogs a little more brief when possible. So here are some thoughts from the last half of that chapter:

I find it striking, and challenging, that Paul's desire was that Christ be exalted. He wanted his body, whether in life or death, his physical existence, to be a channel for the proclamation and exaltation of Christ. He wanted all men to see and know Christ; that Christ would be lifted up before all men, revealed, exalted. He wanted all men to be changed by this knowledge. That to him would be "a fruitful labor." That was life to Paul. To choose life or death was to choose between living a life that would reveal Christ to others, and living eternally in the presence of Christ Himself.

Though he desired to live in the heavenly presence of the risen Lord, he was convinced that for the time being it was more necessary to live on in the flesh for the sake of others. Therefore, he believed he would yet be set free from prison and remain in this life and continue to share in their progress and joy in the faith.

Lord, let my life be about love and joy and faith and Christ. Let my love abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, that I may approve the excellent, in order to be both sincere and blameless until the day of Christ, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes in Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Let my life be about exalting Jesus so that others may know You and walk in Your joy. Let my life be an example of faith and joy (and progress in both) to the praise and glory of the Father. Amen.