“we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.” (2Co 5:8 ASV)
“For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come.” (2Ti 4:6 ASV)
“But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” (Lu 12:50 ASV)
“And after my skin, [even] this [body], is destroyed, Then without my flesh shall I see God;” (Job 19:26 ASV)
“But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will receive me. [[Selah Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased.” (Ps 49:15-16 ASV)
“And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To–day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.” (Lu 23:43 ASV)
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.” (Joh 14:3 ASV)
“Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” (Joh 17:24 ASV)
“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon [the Lord], and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Ac 7:59 ASV)
“wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1Co 5:8 ASV)
“For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Ps 16:10-11 ASV)
“My steps have held fast to thy paths, My feet have not slipped.” (Ps 17:5 ASV)
“Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth; [But] God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.” (Ps 73:24-26 ASV)
“And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God; and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat: for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Re 7:14-17 ASV)
“And I heard the voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.” (Re 14:13 ASV)
(http://bijbelonderzoekers.multiply.com/journal/item/1072/Verlangen_om_ontbonden_te_worden)
Dutch version in New Bible Translation NBV / in de NBV vertaling: Van goede moed zijnde om de wedloop te voleindigen
I am longing to go and be with Christ, because this is by far the best.
ReplyDeleteLetter to the Philippians 1:23
Is that a ruling by a world-weary old man who feels the end of his strength? - No, the apostle Paul was not weary, that show us the following verses in which he speaks confidently that he shall stay with the Philippians to continue with their "promotion and joy of faith". His words show us that also in this letter, in which he compares his life with a race and says: "I will drive to the goal: the price of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus".
His faith was unbroken force.
When the Apostle Paul desires to be dissolved or to become unchained, then moved the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his heart and his feelings. Although he had not seized the prize for the race, but he was seized by Christ so that nothing comparable to him - nothing, that could stop him on earth, not even the full service commitment to the beloved Philipians, how much the effort was to him.
“For I am in a bind between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with the Messiah; which is far better:” (Php 1:23 KJBPNV)
To us sometimes "the surrender" plays a role, if we desire to be with the Lord. It may even be that God in His wisdom should send to us pain or distress to draw us from the earth. Then it is good that we remind our selves that the rest is not here and that is awaits a better goal. But endeavour to "desire" to be dissolved and be with Christ, is much more. That is the desire of a heart that knows Him not only as Saviour, but also got to know him as the content, strength and purpose of his life, and that the sight of His glory here has changed "to the same image”.
If we are between two fires, we can best choose the surest way, the least severe evil. But we have a splendid prospect. If difficulties or evil come over us is we should not fear the evil of death, because death is only to bring us nothing bad. We need not to fear death, because it can only bring us closer to God.
By accepting Jesus Christ, His atoning sacrifice we can find redemption in the death of our suffering and find the security to be incorporated in the Kingdom of God. This means that merely there is a better world for us in this situation.