You Have Two Great Options

All followers of Jesus Christ have two great options each day. In fact, we deal with this issue every morning (whether we realize it or not).

We have the option of waking up and serving the Lord for another day. This is a great blessing.

The second option is even better. We don't wake up, but instead die and go to be with Christ. This is an infinitely greater blessing.

Paul makes this very clear in Philippians 1:21 when he writes simply, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (click here to read in context). In Paul's eyes, both life and death are great options. He can go on serving Christ which will mean more "fruitful labor" for him. However, his desire is to be with Jesus, which "is far better."

Paul understood, probably better than we do because we don't face persecution and death on a regular basis, that both life and death are wonderful possibilities. Neither is a negative. Both are only positive.

I'm not sure that we embrace life and death this way. We (I can speak for myself in particular) tend to be too comfortable in our materialism and lax in our service of Christ. We also don't spend enough time pondering the joy that awaits us in heaven with God.

Maybe we don't like to think about these options because we are not the ones in control of whether or not we wake up in the morning. We know that God is sovereign over life and death. He is the one who chooses which option we face today.

However, in light of the fact that God is both all-powerful and all-good, why shouldn't we completely trust Him with whether we live or die for another five minutes?

To put it simply, another day of life is a gift from God to serve Him fully. Death is an even greater gift - for we go directly to be be the perfect Three-in-One in heaven.

I'm thankful for two great options. As I sit here, I'm thankful for another day of life. I look forward to the day when I get to partake of option two and be with Christ.