To live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
Christ was at the center of the apostle Paul’s life. The question we need to ask and answer is this: “Is Christ at the center of my life too?”
It is easy to move Christ to the circumference of our lives. Yes, we still have Him sitting on the throne, but we have simply moved the throne to the outer edges of our lives. There are so many voices that are vying for our attention and we are so easily distracted. Do you remember how the Tree of Life was in the center of the Garden of Eden? God’s Word was painting a vivid picture of a spiritual lesson of how God, the very source of life itself, was to always and in every way, be at the center of our lives. We were made by Him and we were made for Him, for in Him, we live and move and have our being.
God created us all for worship. So, we will always be worshipping something. The question is what is that something? If God is not at the center of our lives, something else is. And it does not necessarily mean it is a bad thing. Family is a good thing. Work is a good thing. Prosperity is a good thing. Health is a good thing. Recreation is a good thing. All these things are good things, but can so easily become bad things when they become ultimate things – when we allow them to be at the center of our lives.
So, what is at the center of your life right now? What are you most passionate about? Where do you invest your time, talent, and treasure? If you are not sure, ask those who are closest to you because what we worship is impossible to hide. Our deepest passions will always rise to the surface of our lives. For those, like Paul, who have Jesus at the center, it will be obvious to those around you. They will hear you talk about Him. They will see you walk with Him. They will see that your greatest goal in life is to glorify God and expand the cause of His Kingdom, not your own.
Remember, it is the fear of the Lord (Psalm 19:9), the constant awareness of the presence of a God who loved us enough to die on a cross for us, that keeps Him at the center of our lives – but this will be done imperfectly. We will fall, fail, and even forsake Jesus at times. Inasmuch as the goal is perfection, the best we can hope for is progress. May this be the confession of our lives, as we seek to keep Him at the center of our lives.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 