For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better. Philippians 1:21 (NLT).

Live for Jesus, from beginning to end, that’s all that really matters. A man was once asked, “What do you want to be when you grow older?” He answered; “Retired!” That makes me shudder. The Oxford Dictionary defines the word “retire” as “leave work, withdraw, seek seclusion, go to bed.” Those are scary words for me (not the go to bed part, I enjoy a good night’s sleep). While I know my body will wind down and I won’t have the energy I had when I was younger, I still want to live life to the full. I want to squeeze every last drop out of every minute of every day. I want to give it my all – joining God in what He’s doing. “Keep on keeping on.” That’s my motto. I’m never going to retire. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “We never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day” (NLT).

Hopefully I’ll be enthusiastic right up to my dying breath. “None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm” Anonymous. Even though my eyes may grow dim and my legs get a little shaky, I want to stay youthful in my attitudes and perspectives. When my face needs a lift and my stomach needs a tuck, I’m going to try and love my wife as enthusiastically as the day we were married and love my children as much, if not more, than the day they were born. And when my teeth get rinsed in a glass, I’m going to stick them back in my mouth and tell others about the Lord with all the eagerness I can muster. Deuteronomy 6:13 is my life text. “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” (NLT). That’s what I’m going to do to my final day. Yes, I will probably have to be retreaded a couple of times along the way. But just as soon as I’m retreaded, I’ll be back on the road!

If the purpose of life is to live for Christ then I must aim to leave a legacy of a changed life that changed lives. What’s your legacy? Can you join Paul in saying, “For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better” Philippians 1:21 (NLT). Hopefully you can. But if you can’t, it’s never too late to start living for Jesus. God’s grace and provision will enable you to get started today. So live for Jesus, that’s what matters!