When This Old Body Gets an Upgrade
Well, swing that there ol’ gate right on open and come sit over here for a lil’ ol’ spell, friend. There’s a mighty comfortable chair waitin’ right over here, the coffee’s pipin’ hot, and if your knees git to crackin’ when you sit down louder than a hickory limb under a ol’ fat raccoon, today’s message ought to be real encouragin’ for you. These here ol’ earthly bodies are sho’-nuff’ marvelous creations, but after enough birthdays have done come and gone, they can start to soundin’ like an ol’ wagon rattlin’ down a washboard road.
Philippians 3:20–21, says, “Our citizenship is in heaven... He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” This here is glorious news, friend.
Now, friend, that there’ll downright preach.
After His resurrection, Jesus was mighty recognizable, yet wonderfully transformed. He ate with His disciples, appeared among ‘em, and eventually ascended to heaven. His resurrection wasn’t merely proof that death had been defeated. It was plum a glimpse of what God has sho’-nuff’ promised His children.
1 John 3:2 adds this real astonishin’ promise: “When Christ appears, we shall be like him.” We don’t know every detail, but we sho’-nuff’ know enough to be rejoicin’. Whatever aches here won’t ache there. Whatever is broken here won’t remain broken there.
And Revelation 21:4 says, “God will wipe away every tear. No death. No mourning. No crying. No pain.”
Friend, heaven ain’t merely this here same ol’ life with better scenery. God is downright preparin’ somethin’ so complete, so whole, and so glorious that our present limitations won’t follow us through the gate.
Father, thank You that weakness, pain, aging, and death do not have the final word. When this earthly life feels heavy, lift my eyes toward the resurrection hope You have promised. Help me live today with eternity in my heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now git on into your day with some resurrection hope tucked right on in your pocket. Don’t fret over every creaky hinge like a nervous lil’ ol’ rabbit hearin’ acorns hit the roof. This here ol’ body may occasionally behave like an ol’ tractor that needs three tries to git started, but God just ain’t finished with you yet. One glorious mornin’, everything weary will give way to indescribable wonder, and friend, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
With joy,
Gwen
