10/08/2026
A Few Thoughts from Deacon Anne……
“If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 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 on your account.” Philippians 1:22-24
When you read Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, you see immediately how much he loves these people. Paul writes, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” This is a man who has clearly bonded with those who he loves. And yet you see in our scripture reading that Paul is torn – should he stay or should he go? In our day full of modern medicine and promised cures, this comment seems so far out of our own experience. We strive to stay here on earth as long as we can. But Paul exudes a confidence we rarely see. He knows he will be with Christ once he leaves his earthly body. When I am hard-pressed to have this level of confidence, I turn to John 14:1-6. This passage is often read at a celebration of life. Here is the phrase that many skip over in this reading:
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
Jesus is promising that he will come for us. We don’t have to worry about finding our own way. He will be there. Perhaps that is why Paul’s confidence is so well established. He knows, without a doubt, that the one he worships will be the one who takes him home.
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