Listen

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Philippians 1:21-26

Think

Sometimes our days can feel like the wilderness. We are busy moving from one thing to the next, but in our busyness we feel lost, as if things are spinning out of control. Our lives are cluttered and we easily lose focus.

Paul is speaking from his wilderness place, the tension between wanting to be fully present to others, or fully focused on and with Christ. Paul’s greatest desire is to be wrapped in Christ’s love. Maybe you have felt this way after a camp or retreat experience. It was so wonderful, and you spent days focused in worship and learning about Jesus. But we can’t stay on that mountain. We are called to live in the everyday, and sometimes that tension can feel like wilderness.

It is in the daily living, moving, and being with Christ that we can be the presence of Christ to those we encounter. It is in the day-to-day that we can be people who lead others out of the wilderness, just as we are called.

Marnie Fisher-Ingram

Pray

God, many of us experience days of highs and days of lows. Help me to be one who leads others out of the wilderness. Amen.

Go

No strength of our own, or goodness we claim,
Yet since we have known the Savior's great name;
In this our strong tower for safety we hide,
The Lord is our power, the Lord will provide.

The Lord Will Provide, by John Newton