January 7

Morning

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. — Phil 1:21 BSB

The believer didn’t always live for Christ. That began when the Holy Spirit convicted them of sin and, by grace, opened their eyes to see the dying Savior, who made atonement for their guilt. From the moment of their spiritual rebirth, they began to live for Christ. Jesus became their greatest treasure, worth giving up everything else for. He won their love so completely that it beats only for Him. They desire to live for His glory and would even die to defend His gospel. He is the example for how they live and the model for shaping their character.

Paul's words mean more than we might realize; they show that the purpose and goal of his life was Christ—no, more than that, Christ was his very life. As one saint of old said, Paul ate, drank, and slept Christ. Jesus was his breath, the core of his soul, the heart of his heart, and the life of his life. Can you, as a professing Christian, truly say you live like that? Can you honestly say that, for you, to live is Christ?

Is your work being done for Christ, or is it motivated by self-promotion and personal gain? You may ask, "Is that wrong?" Yes, for the Christian it is. If we claim to live for Christ, how can we live for anything else without committing spiritual adultery?

Many try to live by this principle in part, but who can truly say they have lived entirely for Christ as Paul did? Jesus alone is the true life of a Christian—the source, sustenance, model, and goal of life, all wrapped into one. Lord, accept me as I offer myself to live only for You and through You. Let me be like the ox that stands ready between the plow and the altar, prepared to work or to be sacrificed. Let my motto be, "Ready for either."

Evening

My sister, my bride, you are a garden locked up, a spring enclosed, a fountain sealed. — Song 4:12 BSB

Look at the tender names with which the heavenly Solomon affectionately addresses His bride, the church.

"My sister"—a title that speaks of one who is near to Him by nature, sharing the same sympathies. "My spouse"—one who is nearest and dearest, united to Him by the strongest bonds of love; a cherished companion, a part of His own being.

"My sister"—through His incarnation, which makes Him bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh. "My spouse"—through heavenly betrothal, in which He has bound you to Himself in righteousness.

"My sister"—whom He has known from the very beginning, watching over you from infancy. "My spouse"—chosen from among others, embraced by His loving arms, and pledged to Him forever.

How amazing that our royal Kinsman is not ashamed of us! He delights in this double relationship. In just one verse, He uses "my" twice, as if He is overjoyed with the thought that the church belongs to Him. "His delight was with the sons of men" because those sons of men were His own chosen ones. He, the Shepherd, sought the lost sheep because they were His sheep all along. He came "to seek and to save that which was lost" because even before it was lost to itself or to Him, it already belonged to Him. The church is the exclusive portion of her Lord; no one else can claim her love. Jesus, Your church delights in this truth!

Let every believer draw comfort from these truths. Soul! Christ is near to you through family ties and dear to you through the bonds of marriage, and you are just as dear to Him. Look at how He holds both your hands with both of His, saying, "My sister, my spouse!" See the two sacred bonds by which your Lord has such a firm hold on you that He will never let you go. O beloved, be eager to return the fire of His love.