For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.  But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 

-Philippians 1:21-22 (ASB)
 
Jesus Christ was the source of the Apostle Paul's continual joy (even while imprisoned), for Paul's life found all its meaning in Christ.  He would have gladly died to his earthly self as Paul's ultimate concern and most precious possession was Jesus Christ and his relationship to Him.  Paul wanted to be in the presence of Jesus, yet at the same time he understood that God still had a purpose for him on this earth.
 
You are now entering your mission field.  God has a plan with a purpose for you, for me, for all of us!  While it may at times seem easier to avoid the messiness of our mission in LIFE, we are called to invest in ministering to others, living a life that is true to the teachings of Jesus.  The "fruitful labor" Paul refers to is the spreading of the gospel!
 
Do you feel "alive" in Christ?  Are you living for Jesus, seeking the lost and bringing the weary to find rest in him?  Are you sharing the good news of salvation, or have you built a fortress of protection around your heart, allowing the shadows of a sinful and broken world to overtake your thoughts?
 
If you have a heartbeat, God still has a mission for your life and isn't finished with you yet!  It is still necessary for you to remain on this earth for the sake of someone.  I invite you to think of those in your world and how you might share with them your faith story, living for Jesus through earth's little while.

Prayer for Today

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to thee;
For thou, in thy atonement, didst give thyself for me;
I own no other master; my heart shall be thy throne,
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for thee alone.  Amen.