This chapter brings back memories of my early teen years when I began studying the Word with the kind of fervor which suggested my life depended on it.  Years later I now realize that indeed my life did depend on it.  Paul was the one figure outside Jesus himself with which many of my fellow laborers in the Word were fascinated.  We were new to the charismata manifestations, most of which we gained clarity on when we read Paul.  Paul seemed to be as spiritual as he wanted to be.  The thing that we desired was to develop a trusting relationship with Jesus the way Paul seemed to have done with ease.  Paul trusted Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit so much until when a poisonous snake bit him he just shook it into the fire and continued to do what he was doing.  The people who witnessed it wanted to worship him as some kind of god.  This is the same Paul who when he had preached too long raised a young man up from the dead because he had fallen out of a window trying to be attentive to Paul's sermon (Acts 20:9-ff).  The same Paul, who when he and Silas sang praises to God, prison doors swung open (Acts 16).

Today's text is one of those that are easy to take out of context.  Most read it as a one-liner in error.  This is another one of those things that fascinated us about Paul years ago.  He is suggesting to the reader that his relationship with the Lord is such that he could pick up and leave this material world to a place not made with hands when he was ready.  He is not suggesting suicide but that he knows that if he decided it was his time, he could just be taken away quietly.  Wow!  Remember, Paul said that he was caught up in the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2).  He said that there were things he learned there that would be unlawful to utter.  He tells the Philippians that, but for your sake, I would be gone already.  I want to see you grow in spiritual maturity, so I'll stay.  Just like a father desiring to see his children grow up to be responsible adults.  And so, to live is to see the fruit of the spirit made manifest in your lives (Christ), but to die (leave this material world) is gain (beneficial for him).

Let us learn from Paul today and live lives with purpose, not as if ours belong to us, but like they were bought and paid for with a price (Gal 3:13-14).