Life = Christ

Why am I alive? The Westminster Confession of Faith says, "the chief end (purpose) of man (woman) is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." John Piper says the way we glorify God is by enjoying Him forever. TDB taught us this morning from Philippians that to live is Christ. Life = Christ. "Living for Christ is living for others in their joyful journey of faith" and "living in such a way as to say, 'Christ is worth it.'"

Whether our circumstances are hard: prison, sickness, unemployment (or less than "ideal" employment), spiritual singleness in your marriage, rebellious children, busyness, fatigue, loneliness, or grief; or whether they are pleasant: material prosperity, spiritual blessings, church, ministry and familial joys, our lives are to be all about Christ.

Do others look at us and think being a Christian is worth it? Do they think we are really truly happy being a Christian? Do our children see Christ in us? Do they see us joyfully deferring our good desires for something even better - the good of others? Do our adult children find Christ attractive as they look at our lives? Do co-workers marvel at our lives being so much about Christ? Do they see a joy-filled consistency in our lives? This is how we glorify God, and in this, enjoy our God.

I'd love to hear how living for Christ is joy-producing for you. What desires are you deferring to Christ and finding it to be a joyful exchange? How in your circumstances (prison?) are you, with the help of Christ, able to choose fruitful labor for the joy of others? Let us give glory to God by hearing each other's stories. It's all about Him and His activity in our lives. Sharing these things is a way of "nurturing other's progress and joy in the faith." We spur one another on and our joy is increased as a result.