I generally am led at the
beginning of the year to a verse or passage of Scripture that satisfies and
summarizes inner longings and desires and for the past two years, 2008-2009
have centered on 1 Corinthians 2:9-10:
“Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it
entered into the hearts of men
The things that God has prepared for those who love
Him,
But God has revealed tem to us by the S, for the
Spirit searches all things,
Even the deep things of God.”
I was not disappointed when, at
the end of the old year, I had received no impression that 2010 was to
introduce any new passage from the Bible. But this morning as Friede and I had
an ocean view breakfast followed by a time of devotion, God gave us this
passage that summed up our desires and passions for 2010:
“My
eager expectation and hope is that
I will not be ashamed about anything,
But, that now as always, with all boldness,
Christ will be highly honored in my body,
Whether by life or by death,
For me living is Christ and dying is gain.
Philippians
1:20-21
Well, that covers it for me.
This “eager expectation and hope” has been decreed. It involves from here to
eternity and beyond. I hesitantly included the words “whether by life or
by death”. I say hesitantly because I discovered many years ago that I didn’t
like to think of his world without me in it. In my opinion and for the
time being, “alive” beats all alternatives, hands down. But if by some strange
eventuality my address suddenly changes from earth to heaven, my body will have
made its ultimate offering and my spirit will be free. So my body in
death will simply be an ascending means of high honor to Him whose body sets
the pattern for our future: Absent from the body, present with the Lord.
As a profitable P.S. hang this one
around your neck or put it on your doorpost of between yours eyes as of old:
“Living for me is Christ and
Dying is gain!’
Philippians
1:21
So one way or the other, HAPPY 2010!
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