FILL IN THE BLANK

She was the prettiest high school girl I had ever seen, a distant relative I had never met before. Jesus just radiated from her life and I had the privilege of spending a few days around her. This was the first peer-age person I had ever just sat and talked with about spiritual things. She gave me a senior picture and wrote a nice message on the back. In the corner she wrote the Bible reference I'm dealing with today. I made it my verse at the time and for a few years after that, but did I have the right perspective regarding that verse?

A few weeks ago, Brian and I had the privilege of being back at the Billy Graham Training Center for a seminar led by Dr. Jerry Vines. He led a study on the book of Philippians which was a very timely thing for me. The first of September, our Sunday school literature would begin a study in Philippians. I was looking for additional information on the subject as I would be teaching part time during the quarter. Little did I expect how I would be convicted in a personal way.

All Dr. Vines had to teach was wonderful, but he seemed to “circle the field” on one particular verse. It was a verse that took me back many years as I had kind of adopted it for myself even signing it to notes and letters. I have loved the verse, but was shocked to learn those weeks back to the seminar, how wrong I had been in adopting that verse. It's a wonderful verse, one anyone can claim if it is treated in a spiritually accurate way. That verse reads:

For me to live is Christ,
and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21

That was Paul's testimony and rightly so. That was his life in every way. But it is different for for the rest of us whose testimony might not be that up to par.

Dr. Vines pointed out two places in that verse where there are two blanks. One blank is where we see the word “Christ” and the other is where is seen the word “gain.” Paul's verse was accurate from his own personal life. However, for me to live is what? What would we put in that blank...family, money, job, etc. or could we put Jesus' name in that blank?

The last blank has only two possibilities depending on what we put in the first blank...it is either “gain” or “loss”. If we put “Jesus” in that first blank, then “gain” is the appropriate word. Anything else in the first blank means “less” that would be appropriate for the last blank.

I pondered that during our time there and have since thought often of it probably on a daily basis. I want to be able to write that verse as Paul did. My goal is having Jesus first, my all in all and eventually it will be gain, gain, gain. It should be the same for us all. With Holy Spirit help, I'm working to that end.

Father, thank You for Your word and how clearly it speaks to us in every way. Thank You too for Your convicting power through Your Holy Spirit who teaches us and corrects us. I want my life to always radiate Jesus...Who I love and Whose name is above all names...Amen.