Control

Philippians 1:21

I remember the days immediately after hurricane Katrina when the news cycle kept drumming in the fact that our nation would have gas shortages. For most of us the idea having to pay $4 a gallon or not having gas to go where we need and want to go caused a lot of anxiety. This anxiety and the illusion that we are in control of anything in life is the burden only Jesus can relieve us of.

Like me, and most of us I suspect, I'm getting a sense Paul (the author of Philippians) was a control freak. Reading Acts there's a hint here and there that he was a natural leader whose leadership gifts were cultivated in his Jewish studies. This is reinforced reading the letters he wrote, noting his no nonsense way of expressing the truth. (This is number 8 in the enneagram types if your familiar with this spiritual inventory.) There are things we all like to control but natural leaders take this to a new level, so for Paul to write, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain" signifies a huge and humanly impossible transformation. He had given up control of everything, even caring about living or dying.

I know Paul's conversion experience was an awesome redirect in his life (Acts 9), but I have a feeling it took imprisonment - complete loss of control over almost everything - to really bring him to this ultimate spiritual maturity.

I personally draw comfort from having a steady job and income and all the things we associate with "american" life - car, home, family, stuff, "security," what some call afluenza. Times when our attachments are taken or threatened, we loose control and our anxieties rise, reaching out to Jesus in simple conversation, like one friend to another, brings the most beautiful peace. I highly recommend it.

Our purpose

dwelling in Philippians

The concept of taking months to study and soak up the truth of a single book of the Bible started early last spring with a book from Calvin College called Dwelling in Philippians. I started this exercise about a month ago (Sept 2011) and unfortunately only thought of adding a blog for comment and to encourage others who might like a place to share their insights after a few weeks of our immersion.
So I welcome you to this public blog. You are free and encouraged to share the truths you discover dwelling in the Word.