For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me. Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

Philippians 1:20-30

Dear God, as long as I draw breath I have a job to do. And I feel like I am constantly letting you down in that area. I know I don’t maximize every moment. And maybe I can’t. Maybe it’s not humanly possible to do it. But even within my own human limitations, I know I leave a lot of opportunities on the table.

I think a good metaphor is my cycling. This morning, I had a really good ride. I think it is the fastest I have ever ridden this specific route. I obviously did a good job. But I also know that I didn’t push as hard as I could at every moment. There were times I coasted. Times I rested. And maybe some of those rests made me better on the climbs. So I’m not saying I always have to be doing something for the Kingdom, but just like cycling, I know there are times when I’m coasting that I could be applying some pressure to the pedals.

Father, there is just so much that I don’t see. During this current cultural climate of the election, social unrest, and the pandemic, I can’t help but ask myself all of the time, “What would Jesus be doing right now?” Would he be on social media? If so, what kinds of things would he post? What would he have to say about wearing a facemask? What would he say about voting for a given candidate/party/platform? If I were with him as the disciples were, what kinds of awkward questions would he ask me? What would his daily priorities be? I said I ask myself these questions. I never said I come up with a good answer. So help me to think about and answer these questions and then put the pressure on the pedals every time you need me to.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen