Digging Deeper

When I got into the Word today I found something that I've read over and over again that stood out more than ever before. I was in Philippians 1. Specifically what stood out was the verse where Paul talks about his coming deliverance, the boldness and hope that he receives from the prayer of others and the Holy Spirit. He speaks of not being ashamed because Christ will be magnified in Paul's body either in death or life. The next verses are the climax of his point. Philippians 1:21-24 states:

"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. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you."

God impressed on my heart the question of why Paul was hard-pressed. It's not like Paul could be considered a worldly man, stuck on his possessions that he didn't have. It couldn't have been family like a wife or other loved ones; He never spoke of any and he was never married. What reason would he have to stay?

It occurred to me that Paul's life is not just "centered on Christ" but Jesus is his whole reason for being. So, if he exists here on Earth the only reason for being here would be to bring souls to Christ and build up believers to do the same, on the other hand if he departs he would gain complete, conscious, intimate, unhindered fellowship with God.

This pointed out my lack of worship. I cannot say that my sole reason for being is Christ. I have a wife, a son, family, and friends that I would like to spend more time with. My heart doesn't fully realize that my only purpose here is Christ and living a life to glorify Him. I might understand this intellectually but getting that to translate to my heart is a larger issue. My prayer is that I would worship God like Paul. I want to be the extreme. I desire for God to be acknowledged more in my heart and to be my sole purpose for existing. When Christ came to Earth His sole purpose was to redeem us back to himself and in that same way it is my sole purpose to glorify Him and share His love through His Gospel of redemption.