The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Philippians 1:21-26, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.
23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.”

This short passage from the pen of the Apostle Paul, gives us insight on some of the struggles he faced. Having been personally selected by the LORD Jesus Himself (see Acts 9), Paul recognized the value of living. And in that sense, he thoughtfully said, “…to live on in the flesh…will mean fruitful labor for me…”

At the same time, Paul genuinely desired to leave the earth and be at home with Jesus Christ in heaven. It was a genuine dilemma. Paul saw both sides of the situation and was genuinely unsure what he should do. Part of us wants to be available to help others; yet, the other part of us is tired and just wants to go Home.

While we contemplate both situations, our lives are in His Hands. If every player on the team was on the field all the time, it would be more than he could physically handle. That’s why players have coaches! Coaches assess the whole situation and do what’s best overall for winning the game.

In the end, all glory and praise is intended for the Son and for the Father!
Just be faithful while you’re here, and be prepared when He calls you off of the field.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom