“…according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:20-21
Don’t we have this idea that some day we’ll retire and gently ease into those sunset years of our lives? Maybe not. We definitely don’t think about dying younger than then…and for sure, we don’t think about dying suddenly. People say, “I want to go in my sleep.” Or “I want to go fast.” Maybe so…but that means living life in such a way you can die at any time. You are ready to die whenever that moment comes.
We have a dear friend who did just that. Mike died suddenly. Breathtakingly fast, his life was finished. We are still reeling.
You see, our friend Mike lived life full to busting every single day. He was a great leader, a faithful mentor of students, and a good friend…a friend who stuck “closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). He was always that reliable “iron sharpening iron” (Proverbs 27:17) person in the room.
When the sparks flew, something amazing happened. Worthy ideas were born. We were drawn out of our comfort and into a conversation that mattered. Whatever the cause at the moment, with Mike in the room, it radically moved forward.
Now he won’t be in the room. The quiet of that reality is … well… impossible to frame words around.
What I can find the words for is a life lived as large as possible for God and His purposes. Mike was still teaching, writing, leading, but more than that he was following a God who gave him the huge life he had. As unimaginable as it is for us that he’s gone, all I can think is that he finished this life…and he finished it well.
We will continue to learn from Mike, remembering his life, our conversations, his writing, and the ventures still ongoing which he helped launch. He was a force for excellence and for pushing forward to take hold of what God would do, if we believed in Him and not just our own meager efforts.
Mike lived in such a way that he could die at any time. He died a man still in the middle of life, having lived, in earnestness and purpose, a longer life than many will ever live. For what? For God…for his family…for all of us whom he touched.
This song, performed by Youth Alive, speaks to his life. We can all live such a life – with courage, boldness, faith, and confidence…like our friend Mike…when “to live is Christ”.
Worship with me. Pray for his family.
For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
No matter what price I pay, I choose to give this life away.
I make a vow. My life will always honor You, Christ.
Whether I live or die I belong to Him.
He bore my sin; I owe this life to my saving King.
I make a vow; My life will always honor you, Christ.
Whether I live or die I belong to Him.
He bore my sin; I owe this life to my saving King.
Hallelujah, I am not my own. You are in control; Hallelujah!
For me to live is Christ And to die is gain; No matter what price I pay, I choose to give this life away.
I make a vow; my life will always honor You, Christ.
Whether I live or die I belong to Him.
He bore my sin; I owe this life to my saving King
I make a vow; my life will always honor You, Christ.
Whether I live or die, I belong to Him
He bore my sin; I owe this life to my saving King.
Hallelujah, I am not my own. You are in control, Hallelujah!
For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
No matter what price I pay, I choose to give this life away (X2)
Only by the cross I am saved.
Hallelujah, I am not my own. You are in control. Hallelujah!
For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
No matter what price I pay, I choose to give this life away. (X2)
Only by the cross I am saved. (X3)
YouTube Video – To Live is Christ – Youth Alive NSW
