Ready to Go

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

I'm Bill Crowder, and I called today's reading, Ready to Go. During the coronavirus pandemic, many suffered the loss of loved ones. On November 27th, 2020, our family joined their ranks when Bea Crowder, my 95-year-old mom, died, though not from COVID-19.

Like so many other families, we weren't able to gather to grieve mom and honor her life or encourage one another. Instead, we used other means to celebrate her loving influence, and we found great comfort from her insistence that if God called her home, she was ready and even eager to go. That confident hope, evidenced in so much of mom's living, was also how she faced death. Facing possible death, Paul wrote in Philippians 1, For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Even with his legitimate desire to stay and help others, Paul was drawn to his heavenly home with Christ. Such confidence changes how we view the moment when we step from this life to the next. Our hope can give great comfort to others in their own season of loss. Although we grieve the loss of those we love, believers in Jesus don't grieve like those who have no hope. True hope is the possession of those who know him.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Philippians chapter 1, verses 21 through 30. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I'm going to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose?

I do not know. I'm torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again, your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel, without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.

This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had and now hear that I still have. Let's pray. God of all hope, please remind us of Jesus's death conquering victory that prepares for us a way to you. Thank you, Father, for our hope of an eternal home in heaven in your presence. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Bill Crowder, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.