April 29, 2011 … New Bodies: I’m for That!

Passage of the Day: 1st Corinthians 15: 49 … And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the Man from heaven.

My Journal for Today: My Dad died a few years ago; and in the last few years of his life, he was quite debilitated, living in a nursing care facility. Most of the time, with all his maladies, he had to have been miserable [at least from the way we all saw him live]. Yet all who came to see him where he resided in the Nursing Home, were taken by the “grace” he exhibited, always having something nice to say to that person. I can remember a few times when I flew up to spend a few days with him, we’d have times when we’d watch sports on TV together; but he seemed to be most at peace when I read to him from a passage which was initiated by today’s verse. It was 1st Cor. 15: 49 – 57; and I’d like to reproduce it here for your edification [and my remembrance of my Dad] …

SCRIPTURE: 1st Cor. 15: 49-57 ... And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the Man from heaven. 50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." [from Isaiah 25: 8] … 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" [the latter quote from Hosea 13: 14] 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

As my Dad sat in his chair in his room, wracked with pain from osteoarthritis, short of breath from emphysema, bothered by swallowing problems having had a jaw resection, and being quite weak from all his collective maladies, he used to say to me, “I sure like the idea of getting a new body in heaven.” And I could see the peace on his face from that prospect. Well, he may not have that new body quite yet in our timing, the rapture not having occurred in our time clock; but in God’s timing, my Dad being with the Lord now in that intermediate heaven where, upon death saints go to be with the Lord before He comes again for His church, my Dad certainly doesn’t have to worry about that old decrepit body of his.

Today’s passage, along with the promise found through Paul in Phil. 3: 21 certainly give all believers great hope, as those passages did my father, with the wondrous picture of the new image and body will have in heaven. Think about it! All who are born again in Christ will be reconstituted to become like the One Who revealed Himself to so many others after His resurrection … like the Messiah Who will come again one day (likely soon, I believe) to reclaim His wonderful Bride, the Church, for glory (see Acts 1: 11).

I often think about what Jesus was like when he appeared to others post-resurrection. He could disappear and reappear at will … to whomever and wherever and whenever He wanted. He could walk through walls. How cool is that?!! And when He needed to, He was recognizable to His loved ones, even carrying – I believe at His own choice – the scars from His time on the cross to convince doubters, like Thomas, of Who He really was; … and I personally believe, though I have no Biblical support, our glorified, resurrected, perfected, and completed body will be able to take on more than one physical form. However, it will always be visible and recognizable to all we knew and loved us in this life. And though our bodies will not likely look like that of Jesus (His will be so perfect and full of glorified light He will stand out above all in Heaven), our newly glorified bodies will have the completed elements that Christ has already formed for us and knows us as in His presence.

Our new life in heaven is going to be all too awesome, … for sure!! And having just had a hip-replacement with all the pain connected with its rehab, this prospect of a new body in heaven certainly has great appeal for this old sinner/saint.

My Prayer Today: The hope of newness, Lord, is in You. Amen

2010 – September 5 – Catching a Greater Vision

Study from God’s Word… Ezekiel, Chapters 40 - 43 … Passage for Reflection: Ezekiel 43: 10 - 11… NIV 10 "Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider the plan, 11 and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.

My Journal for Today: Here we are, in the historical context of my Scripture reading for today, in the times where God’s people have been captured and taken away into Babylon and their grand Temple in Jerusalem has been laid waste. Now God gives the people, through Ezekiel an image of a new Temple, grander than anything that could ever be built by man; and it is a Temple where God Himself will dwell with His people forever.

For churches who’ve ever been involved in a fund-raising effort to build a new church building, it’s essential to give the people architectural renderings of the new church to help them “catch the vision” … so that they will respond to the vision and give the funds God wants them to give to make the vision a reality. Well, here God was involved in a building project far greater than anything that man could ever draw up. The Lord wanted to restore, or rather rebuild, the Kingdom of God; and this involved rebuilding the people who would occupy His kingdom. But to do this the Lord had to give them – as He did through Ezekiel – a concrete plan to capture their vision.

I hope you can see, as Dr. Smith helped me see today, the rebuilding Jesus came to tell God’s people about and that of the message Ezekiel was bringing to the people from God. Jesus’ great “Sermon on the Mount” was a building plan for God’s Kingdom; and then came the incredible set of plans which was given through the Apostle John to mankind in the Book of the Revelation. And these plans from God in the New Testament have been given to us about the Temple Life to come so that we, who live by His name, can see the plans offered by God’s word; and then so that we might CATCH the vision, RESPOND to the vision, and then LIVE WORTHY of the vision.

Dr. Smith, once again challenging his readers at the end of his devotional for today, asks, ”Is my vision of heaven truly grand enough to call me higher?”

Good question; … no, GREAT question! And as I ponder it, I think of the words of the Apostle Paul, who, in Ephesians 4: 1, wrote, As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. There was a time when I was a captive to sin; but now, by God’s election and my own choice, in response to God’s saving grace, I’m captive to Christ; and He has given me a vision of the Temple He desires for me to keep where I can – and will – live with Him forever. And I need to have a vision of that “forevermore” life which calls me to live worthy of Temple plans He promises for me, living eternally with Him in heaven. And to that end may I live worthy of His Name.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, Your plans for this Temple You’ve given me is grander than my imagination can unfold; but it is grand enough to call me to live my life for You. Amen