June 24, 2024

Far Better!

In Philippians 1:21–23, the apostle Paul says this,

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

Wow! Did you see what Paul said? To live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I die, I am going to be with Christ. And that is not a little better. It is far better.

While the following is a somewhat silly example, I think it makes the point.

My wife and I recently visited some friends in Washington, and it rained virtually the whole time we were there. It was just a series of gray, drizzly, dreary, rainy days. My friend is an avid golfer, so I asked him, “How long has it been since you have been able to go golfing?” He said, “Four months.” I thought, “Wow! That’s a long time!”

Now, the day Janet and I got back to Southern California it was a stunning Southern California day, about 70 degrees out. My son said, “Dad, you want to go golfing?” I said, “Sure. Throw the gear in the car.”

As we were driving to the golf course, it hit me…Southern California is a place that is far better for a golfer than Washington! It is gain to be absent from the gray and rain, and present in the sun!

To be absent from the body is gain, because it means to be present with the Lord in the brightness of His glory! Don’t feel sorry for believers when they go to be with the Lord. For them it is gain that is far better!

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