Thought for the month

This reflection appeared in our last Centrepoint leaflet, for March last year.

You can watch Psalm for the Day and other daily reflections, here on our YouTube channel.  Each one lasts a few minutes and reflects on a relevant biblical text for our present situation.

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"To live is Christ and to die is gain"

How should we think about death? It is a question that we frequently avoid - there are, after all, many other easier topics of conversation! Yet we know it is an important question.

In the Bible, the apostle Paul writes to the Christians in Philippi about the possibility of his own death, and his words are remarkable. He says, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21 NIV)

When he thinks about life, Paul sees it as an opportunity to serve Christ Jesus. Perhaps even more strikingly, Paul sees death as being a gain, for he knows dying means going to be with Christ. As he writes shortly afterwards, "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far." (Philippians 1:23)

If we trust in Jesus, it transforms our attitudes to life and to death. We no longer see our life as centred on ourselves, but instead as an opportunity to serve Christ. Death is transformed too, from something to fear, to the time when we will go home to be with the Lord Jesus, which is better by far.

Verses for the month:

• But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)