For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be
with Christ; which is far better: Php 1:23
Paul's Longing for Home
with Christ; which is far better: Php 1:23
Paul's Longing for Home
His soul was as a ship between two winds, tossed up and down; as iron between two loadstones, drawn first one way and then another. The people of God are often as Paul was, in great straits.
Paul knew, to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord. He had tasted the truth of this in the description he had relayed of being "caught up" into paradise, in the realms of the third heaven, and was no doubt ever present in his mind throughout the remainder of his earthly life. (see 2Cor 12:2-4)
He knew that to depart and be with Christ was “better by very far” than remaining in a world of ignorance, and sin, and trouble.
Some commentary below, gives more aspects and clarity of Paul's struggle of soul, and longing for home.
++++++++++
"I have heard a story of the celebrated Mr. William Dawson, who used to call himself “Billy” Dawson, much to the point. On one occasion, when he and some other Methodist friends were spending the evening together, a dear friend of mine happened to be present, and heard what passed. They were praying that Mr. Dawson’s life might be spared for many years to come, that such an earnest man might be kept in the Church for the next twenty or thirty years. At last, as they were just in the middle of prayer, William Dawson said, “Lord, don’t hear ‘em: I want to get my work done, and go home; I don’t want to be here any longer than there is needs be;” and the brethren stopped their prayers, thunderstruck as they witnessed his emotion. Now I believe that feeling will often pass over the earnest working Christian. “Oh,” saith he, “I am not lazy; I am not idle; but still, I would like to get my work done.” (C. H. Spurgeon.)
"The most you can do to a good man is to persecute him; and the worst that persecution can do is to kill him. And killing a good man is as bad as it would be to spite a ship by launching it. The soul is built for heaven, and the ship for the ocean, and blessed be the hour that gives both to the true element." (H. W. Beecher.)
Paul knew, to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord. He had tasted the truth of this in the description he had relayed of being "caught up" into paradise, in the realms of the third heaven, and was no doubt ever present in his mind throughout the remainder of his earthly life. (see 2Cor 12:2-4)
He knew that to depart and be with Christ was “better by very far” than remaining in a world of ignorance, and sin, and trouble.
Some commentary below, gives more aspects and clarity of Paul's struggle of soul, and longing for home.
++++++++++
"I have heard a story of the celebrated Mr. William Dawson, who used to call himself “Billy” Dawson, much to the point. On one occasion, when he and some other Methodist friends were spending the evening together, a dear friend of mine happened to be present, and heard what passed. They were praying that Mr. Dawson’s life might be spared for many years to come, that such an earnest man might be kept in the Church for the next twenty or thirty years. At last, as they were just in the middle of prayer, William Dawson said, “Lord, don’t hear ‘em: I want to get my work done, and go home; I don’t want to be here any longer than there is needs be;” and the brethren stopped their prayers, thunderstruck as they witnessed his emotion. Now I believe that feeling will often pass over the earnest working Christian. “Oh,” saith he, “I am not lazy; I am not idle; but still, I would like to get my work done.” (C. H. Spurgeon.)
"The most you can do to a good man is to persecute him; and the worst that persecution can do is to kill him. And killing a good man is as bad as it would be to spite a ship by launching it. The soul is built for heaven, and the ship for the ocean, and blessed be the hour that gives both to the true element." (H. W. Beecher.)
What is Our Purpose
We are all placed here in God’s world, endowed with various powers and different talents; here we are to remain for some few years, and then all to pass away. Fifty years—what is it in the history of the world? and yet in even fifty years how many of us will still remain in this life? The question then forces itself upon us as reasonable creatures, What are we put here for, and why should we desire to remain? The answer is simple: We are placed here to work out our own salvation and for the benefit each of the other. It need not distress any one to find that Paul’s language is out of his reach; he had much better honestly confess that it is so, than pretend that it is not; but if a man desire this life, at least let him desire it for some good end. Let him take a deep, sober view of his mission in the world, for every one is sent for an important end; every one of us has his work and his Master, who will demand an account of it. We are all successors of Paul in this respect, and that which formed to him the principal chain of life ought to occupy a similar position in our minds to that which it did in his.
The Desire to Depart
Why should departure out of this life be an object of desire to a Christian? Let's break this down, and see what we can learn.
First, because it is a full release from this evil world. There is something very expressive in the word we here render by "depart." It means the being set free after the breaking up of some long restraint, or the unyoking of the oxen wearied with the plough, or the weighing again of our anchors for a homeward voyage. On every side its associations are full of peace and rest.
To be free forever from the petty rivalries, the fruitless pleasures, the waste of power, the frivolous talk, the world of frenzy; people striving to obtain, only to lose it through time and circumstances-no one is exempt. All come to the same fate, but blindness keeps them from seeing their common future; pride drives them on. Meaningless envy, covetousness, competition; never-ending consuming, but always dissatisfied. Living side by side in with those in this cycle of materialistic madness, and finally facing the certainty of their own death. This is the hopelessness of those without Christ. For the saint-death is freedom from all of this.
What can better express the passage of Christ’s servants from this tumultuous and weary world? So long as we are in this warfare, we must be open to the shafts of evil, and who would not desire a shelter where no arrows can reach us any more? What must be the peace of having put off this mystery of probation, when the struggle and the strife shall be over, and breathless, panting hope, dashed by ten thousand fears, shall be changed into a certainty of peace, into a foretaste of our crown! This one thought alone is enough to make death blessed. Well may evangelists say, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly," and souls already martyred, like St. Paul, desire to depart. Even to us it may be permitted to feel our hearts beat thick with hopeful and longing fear when we wait for the voice that shall say to the least of penitents, "Rise up, My love, My fair one, and come away, for lo! the winter is past; the rain is over and gone." Come to Me from Lebanon; look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, unto the everlasting hills and to the eternal years.
Paul longed for the spiritual body, raised in power and incorruption at the day of Christ, and meanwhile for that personal perfection in measure and foretaste which is prepared for those who die in the Lord and await His coming. Surely of all earthly sorrows sin is the sharpest. The heaviest of all burdens is the bondage of a will which makes God’s service a weary task, and our homage of love a cold observance. This is the longing for the saint, to be at last free forever from the wickedness and warfare of Satanic attacks of evil forces, and evil men. To share in the glory, and power of the Risen Christ, and to be with Him forever.
To be united forever to the new creation of God. What is this new creation but the new heavens and the new earth, in which are gathered the whole order and lineage of the second Adam, all saints, from Abel the just, of all ages and times, in the twilight and the dayspring, in the morning and the noontide of grace, all made perfect, whether on earth or in rest, by the omnipotence of love? This is our true home, where all our reason, all our desires, all our sympathies, and all our love have their perfect sphere and their full repose. To be with Christ. This is the true foundation of heavenly joy. To be with Him; to see His face; to follow Him whithersoever He goeth; to be conscious of His eye; to hear, it may be, His words of love; to see the gathered fruit of His Passion in the glory of His elect.
But for this, how blessed to go to dwell with Him for ever.
First, because it is a full release from this evil world. There is something very expressive in the word we here render by "depart." It means the being set free after the breaking up of some long restraint, or the unyoking of the oxen wearied with the plough, or the weighing again of our anchors for a homeward voyage. On every side its associations are full of peace and rest.
To be free forever from the petty rivalries, the fruitless pleasures, the waste of power, the frivolous talk, the world of frenzy; people striving to obtain, only to lose it through time and circumstances-no one is exempt. All come to the same fate, but blindness keeps them from seeing their common future; pride drives them on. Meaningless envy, covetousness, competition; never-ending consuming, but always dissatisfied. Living side by side in with those in this cycle of materialistic madness, and finally facing the certainty of their own death. This is the hopelessness of those without Christ. For the saint-death is freedom from all of this.
What can better express the passage of Christ’s servants from this tumultuous and weary world? So long as we are in this warfare, we must be open to the shafts of evil, and who would not desire a shelter where no arrows can reach us any more? What must be the peace of having put off this mystery of probation, when the struggle and the strife shall be over, and breathless, panting hope, dashed by ten thousand fears, shall be changed into a certainty of peace, into a foretaste of our crown! This one thought alone is enough to make death blessed. Well may evangelists say, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly," and souls already martyred, like St. Paul, desire to depart. Even to us it may be permitted to feel our hearts beat thick with hopeful and longing fear when we wait for the voice that shall say to the least of penitents, "Rise up, My love, My fair one, and come away, for lo! the winter is past; the rain is over and gone." Come to Me from Lebanon; look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, unto the everlasting hills and to the eternal years.
Paul longed for the spiritual body, raised in power and incorruption at the day of Christ, and meanwhile for that personal perfection in measure and foretaste which is prepared for those who die in the Lord and await His coming. Surely of all earthly sorrows sin is the sharpest. The heaviest of all burdens is the bondage of a will which makes God’s service a weary task, and our homage of love a cold observance. This is the longing for the saint, to be at last free forever from the wickedness and warfare of Satanic attacks of evil forces, and evil men. To share in the glory, and power of the Risen Christ, and to be with Him forever.
To be united forever to the new creation of God. What is this new creation but the new heavens and the new earth, in which are gathered the whole order and lineage of the second Adam, all saints, from Abel the just, of all ages and times, in the twilight and the dayspring, in the morning and the noontide of grace, all made perfect, whether on earth or in rest, by the omnipotence of love? This is our true home, where all our reason, all our desires, all our sympathies, and all our love have their perfect sphere and their full repose. To be with Christ. This is the true foundation of heavenly joy. To be with Him; to see His face; to follow Him whithersoever He goeth; to be conscious of His eye; to hear, it may be, His words of love; to see the gathered fruit of His Passion in the glory of His elect.
But for this, how blessed to go to dwell with Him for ever.
The Reunion
"Come, let us join our friends above,
Who have obtained the prize,
And on the eagle-wings of love
To joys celestial rise!
"Let all the saints terrestrial sing,
With those to glory gone;
For all the servants of our King,
In earth and heaven, are one.
"The saints on earth, and those above,
But one communion make;
Joined to the Lord in bonds of love,
All of His grace partake.
"One family we dwell in Him;
One Church above, beneath;
Though now divided by the stream,
--The narrow stream of death.
"One army of the living God,
To His command we bow:
Part of His host have crossed the flood,
And part are crossing now.
" Our spirits too shall quickly join,
Like theirs with glory crowned;
And shout to see our Captain's Sign,
To hear His trumpet sound."
Anonymous
"Come, let us join our friends above,
Who have obtained the prize,
And on the eagle-wings of love
To joys celestial rise!
"Let all the saints terrestrial sing,
With those to glory gone;
For all the servants of our King,
In earth and heaven, are one.
"The saints on earth, and those above,
But one communion make;
Joined to the Lord in bonds of love,
All of His grace partake.
"One family we dwell in Him;
One Church above, beneath;
Though now divided by the stream,
--The narrow stream of death.
"One army of the living God,
To His command we bow:
Part of His host have crossed the flood,
And part are crossing now.
" Our spirits too shall quickly join,
Like theirs with glory crowned;
And shout to see our Captain's Sign,
To hear His trumpet sound."
Anonymous
 |  |
