Last time we looked at the phrase “to die is gain” from Paul’s letter.  This morning we studied the very famous words that precede this phrase: “for me to live is Christ.” I’ve been chewing on those words all day. What does Paul mean by “for me to live is Christ”? What would my life look like if Jesus were my singular focus, central to everything and my greatest obsession?

              As Heidi and I discussed the idea of living for Christ, she began to flesh out the importance of community. Her thoughts spurred me on to a few others. As I meditate on the phrase “to live is Christ,” I see a few ways to apply this to my life. First, my primary focus must be Jesus and the gospel. I must continually point people to the glory of Christ and eternal life in Jesus. Second, I must continually be in biblical community. This comes through weekly corporate worship and continual participation in life groups. I need to be around other believers. Third, I must place my life where the Spirit can regularly remove the dross of sin from me, purify my heart, and lead me in righteousness. Next, I must hold the things of this world, including Heidi, my family, and ministry loosely. Finally, I must continually become increasingly bold about living an others-focused life that seeks to share the love of God with those I come into contact with.

              What do you think? What would you add? As you consider the phrase, “to live is Christ,” what would it look like for you? Take a few moments today and conduct a personal inventory of your life. What do you need to change, add, or remove from your life to echo Paul’s challenging claims, “For me to live in Christ?”

              Whether you’ve been a Christian for a year or twenty, if you are like me, you are always looking for ways to grow in your knowledge and love for Jesus. A year or so ago, I began hand-copying Scripture and would like to commend the practice to you. I’m not as consistent as I’d like to be, yet, but I’m finding this discipline increasingly useful and fruitful. Let me offer you four thoughts for your consideration.

              Honestly, I’m stumbling through this newer discipline in my life as I’m not as consistent as I would like. Heidi and I worked to memorize Psalm 1, which promises blessings to the person who meditates on the Lord’s instruction. Therefore, to help my meditation on God’s Word, I began to handwrite Scripture.

Here are four reasons I have enjoyed copying Scripture. First, it slows me down and allows me to meditate upon the Word. As you hand-copy, you notice every letter, every comma, and every period. I can almost see the Apostle writing with me. Next, slowing down allows me to linger in God’s presence. I often find myself hurrying from one thing to another. However, I cannot rush through copying the Bible. As I copy, I feel the joy and presence of God. It is a sweet time that invigorates me and causes me immense joy. Furthermore, copying Scripture allows me to see elements of Scripture that a person may miss by simply reading. This morning, for instance, I copied an exclamation point. As I wrote it, I realized the force with which it was intended. It was a subtle yet meaningful observation that brought more light to the verse. Finally, copying Scripture will allow me to leave a legacy for my grandchildren. I don’t have a large inheritance to leave my family. But what I can leave is a love of Scripture. As they look back on the copies Pops created, they will know of my love for the Bible. That is not a bad legacy to leave. Next time, I’ll offer practical suggestions on how to begin the process.