TO GO OR STAY?

“If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith so that, through my being with you again, your boasting in Christ will abound on account of me.” Philippians 1:22-26.

It is essential for some people to be around for as long as possible for the sake of others. Paul knew that. It was not arrogance that made him say that it was better for him to remain in the body for a while longer. There were groups of infant believers scattered across the empire. The Philippian church was one of them. They were in the charge of elders but even the elders were relatively new believers coming out of paganism.

Paul knew just how much they depended on him as their spiritual father to lead them on towards maturity. Even though he was in prison, there were still those who visited him and interacted with him for their benefit. He was able to communicate with the people in the little church groups by letter, and leave a legacy of teaching and instruction which would benefit the church through the ages.

What choice did Paul have in the matter? We don’t know. He was in the hands of the Roman authorities but, even more sure than that, he was in the hands of his heavenly Father who determined his destiny over and above Rome. He knew what he wanted to do – pass the baton on and go home to the Lord. Yet, at the same time, it was imperative that he remain a while longer to shepherd the little flocks as long as he had breath in his lungs.

Paul knew that his prayers and the prayers of the saints would count with God even though He had a master plan for all of them. If He removed Paul, there would be others who would continue to shepherd them. There was, of course, the indwelling Holy Spirit in whom Paul had the utmost confidence. Had he not already expressed the assurance that God would finish what He started?

The thought of passing on is always daunting, even for a believer in Jesus. It’s not about doubting His promises as much as it’s about wondering how it will happen. Will it hurt? Will I have to suffer serious illness, weakness and incapacity? Will it be sudden and painless? What will it feel like? It is natural to feel apprehensive about the unknown.

There is nothing in our experience to draw from to fire our imagination. For us, the future remains a blank except for His promise:

“What no eye has seen, what no ear had heard and what no human mind has conceived – the things God has prepared for those who love Him…” 1 Corinthians 2:9.

We must remember that, from Paul’s perspective, he was already a dead man and had been since the day of his conversion. Any benefit he was to people, any blessing to the churches, was purely because of Christ’s life in him. He knew that, as long as he was still alive, he would go on spreading the message and passing on the understanding of the gospel and the wisdom to live it out for others to see.

When he considered it better to remain in the body for the sake of the believers, it was purely for them, so that he could continue to impart truth to them and spur them on to be joyful and productive in their faith even in the face of persecution.

Not only did Paul anticipate staying alive but he also believed that he would be released to continue his work for as long as possible. For Paul, his destiny was not in the hands of Nero but in the hands of God. Nero was nothing but an instrument that God used to carry out His purposes. When he was finished with them, both Paul and Nero, their lives here on earth would come to an appropriate end. For both of them, their end would be the completion of what they had chosen to do and to be.

Paul had no qualms about what and where his end would be – the beginning of an eternity in the presence of the Lord he had loved and served through thick and thin. We have an amazing example of a man who lived and died for Jesus.

What about you? What about me?

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.