10. To Live is Christ

When I leave this earth there's nothing I'll take with me
Except for Jesus Christ: the pardon that he bought me
All that is my gain for him I'll count it my loss
And if I ever boast it will be only in the cross

Whether I'm in need or whether I have plenty
Whether I have food or whether I go hungry
If I stand with friends or all around desert me
I have learned to be content in every circumstance

In God and God alone I find my joy and satisfaction
For God and God alone I live or die

For me to live is Christ, to die is gain
Another day upon the earth: one more to shout his name
And if I die, my death won't be in vain
For whether by my life or death, I'll glorify his name.

This song was written by Tim MacBride, the incredibly brilliant and multi-talented associate pastor at Narwee. To be honest, it's not one of my favourite songs by Tim, and I'm a little surprised it made it into the top 10. I think he's got some much better songs. I voted for his song "Faithful and True", which I also blogged about recently.

This song, "To Live is Christ", is based on some passages from Philippians:

1:18-21 - Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

3:7-11 - But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

4:10-13 - I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Great words to live by, but how tough to actually live that way!

I feel as though I'm betraying Tim and my church to say this... but at my brother's church in Canberra, they sing another song based on Philippians, with basically the same ideas as Tim's song, and I like it better...