Philippians 1:21(KJV)
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Apostle Paul was bold in his declaration that he only lived for Christ. His real purpose was to live for Christ in everything he did. It is, therefore, clear that, as Christians, our principal duty is to live for God to give Him pleasure. As long as we live, we live to serve Jesus Christ. Without Christ, life is not worth living. Revelation 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” God created us to live for Him. And to live for God means living for His purpose and pleasure. Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins so we can live for Him.
We need to know why we live. If we don’t know where we are going, we will not like where we end. People live for different things in this world. We live in a world where many people live without knowing what they live for or for whom they live. Some people live for the food, the clothes they will wear, the house they will live in, and the car they will ride in, all at the expense of their souls. Others follow the flesh and live as slaves of sin; they spend hours on themselves but cannot even spend an hour praying or reading the Bible. Some live for money and will choose it over going to church. This kind of living is the lowest level anyone can pursue. Enough is enough to live for the flesh; it is time to live for God. 2 Corinthians 5:15 says, “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” Jesus died for us so that we live for Him. Those who live for God live for good, while those who live for the devil live for evil. When we decide to live for Christ, everything will fall into place spiritually, and other aspects of our life will receive meaning and fulfillment.
Beloved, a life outside Christ is a life full of crises; a Christ-less life is a crisis-full life. God should be the center of our lives. To prepare for eternity while on earth is to surrender to Jesus, live for Him and please Him. Heaven and hell are real; one day, you will stand before your Maker and account for all. Do not wait and regret when the end comes, as the rich man did(Luke 16:22-31). You cannot live for yourself and find yourself with God by a mere chance in eternity. To give your life to God is to cease to live for yourself; you start living for God. If you listen diligently to God’s Words to seek Him and live for Him, everything else will follow. Live for God, and you will escape the torments of hell forever. Live for God, and you will live for good(Matt 6:33), and God will make you the center of attraction in your world. Today, make God the most important reason for living and focus your life’s pursuit on God. Exist as a visible representative of God in your world and give God glory for the gift of your life. There is an end, and life is terminal. Remember, God is watching you to see where you invest your life. If eternity with God in Heaven is your vision, then living for Him on earth must be your action.
O LORD, empower me to prepare for eternity by living for You here on earth in Jesus’ Name.