Philippians 1:23–24 (NIV)—I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
In Iceland, the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates rise above the surface of the earth in Þingvellir National Park. I walked the boardwalk between the two continents, head swiveling back and forth while I adjusted camera settings, pointed, and clicked. I wanted to live in the moment and capture the memories, because when else would I have the opportunity to stand between the continents? Probably never, because Iceland is the only place on the earth where the tectonic plates sit above sea level.
There is another place we, as Christians, stand: between heaven and earth. We have the ultimate example of standing between heaven and earth in the Apostle Paul, who strove to live between his ministry on earth and his reward in heaven. He found joy and encouragement in the spreading of the Gospel and in his fellow believers. He filled others with joy and encouragement through his letters. His life pointed to Christ, despite the metaphorical earthquakes of imprisonment and possible death.
Paul’s letter to the Philippians shows that our chance to stand between heaven and earth has no bounds. We are to mimic Christ in all situations. We are to live with our lives pointed to heaven.