For Me To Live Is Christ

I was brought up in a church that sung standard Christian hymns. Then ‘Youth Praise’ was published, (book 1 in 1966, book 2 in 1969) containing new songs that expressed my faith in a new way. We enjoyed learning them; I learnt to play my guitar to accompany them. Number 267 was ‘For me to live is Christ’:

For me to live is Christ, to die is gain
to hold His hand and walk His narrow way
there is no peace, no joy, no thrill, Like walking in His will
For me to live is Christ, to die is gain

It was a good song to sing. It was based on St Paul’s words from Philippians that were familiar to me: ‘For me to live is Christ, to die is gain’. It spoke of the Christian life as walking with Jesus along a narrow way, of the peace and joy that I know as I walk with him. It expressed my whole-hearted commitment to the Jesus I believed in, followed and sought to walk with.

Now once my heart was full of sin and shame
Till someone told me Jesus came to save
When He said “Come home to me”
He set my poor heart free
For me to live is Christ, to die is gain

Coming back to this many years later I’ve lived more life and seen more death. I’ve tried to walk the narrow way – but realise that it isn’t as straightforward as I thought fifty years ago. I haven’t left ‘sin and shame’ behind me, I haven’t known the peace, joy and thrill all of the time… but singing these words still express my faith and desires.

Now there are things that I still do not know
But of this one thing I’m completely sure
He who called me on that day
Washed all my sin away
For me to live is Christ, to die is gain

Today I’m more aware of what I don’t know – there seems to be more of it! I’m more aware too of my weaknesses and failures. But I’m more convinced of my Christian faith. Over the years I’ve experienced something of the peace, joy and thrill, the strength, comfort and purpose, of walking each day with Jesus.

I can identify better with Paul, writing these words as an old man, a prisoner in Rome, appreciating the life he had and anticipating death not with morbid fear but with expectant hope. Like him I don’t know what my future holds, but I do know, ‘For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.’