Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today – no resurrection life then really there is no life. You can’t truely live as we were created in the flesh of your today without the hope of your spiritual immortal resurrection. If this is all there is then we will live selfishly, trying to satisfy the depth of our passions. But our passions are not fully met in this flesh existence, we have longings in us for more than we will ever realise in this here life, we were made with eternity hope in our hearts, for after life.
1 Corinthians 15:6, 14-15,19,32, 43-44
[6] He (Jesus) also appeared (after his death on the cross) to more than five hundred of his followers at the same time, most of whom are still alive as I write this, though a few have passed away.
[14] And if Christ has not been raised, all of our preaching has been for nothing and your faith is useless. [15] Moreover, if the dead are not raised, that would mean that we are false witnesses who are misrepresenting God. And that would mean that we have preached a lie, stating that God raised him from the dead, if in reality he didn’t. [19] If the only benefit of our hope in Christ is limited to this life on earth, we deserve to be pitied more than all others!
[32]….If the dead do not rise, then Let’s party all night, for tomorrow we die!
43] The body is “sown” in decay, but will be raised in immortality. It is “sown” in humiliation, but will be raised in glorification. [44] It is “sown” in weakness but will be raised in power. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.
Observation
This can’t be all there is. It’s too short. It’s too hard. It’s too unsatisfying. I know in my inner being there is so much more to life that I do not see in this life. There is a deep sense in all of us that we are made for more than this. We are all hope shaped creatures, we need to have hope to survive. But hope must reach beyond the few short days of this flesh life, if we are to live this flesh life well. If this is all there is then “Let’s party all night, for tomorrow we die!” This is not living. There is more than we see or we must be pitied! We all know it, we all want this to be true.
Our resurrection life is based in the resurrection of Jesus. This is foundational in our story. If he did not raise then everything of our faith is useless, discard the whole thing, it’s a farce, a lie, a tragedy. Jesus’ resurrection is the first for all humanity to experience immortality. This body gets sown, like a seed in the ground, and then a new glorified, powerful, immortal, spiritual body is raised. A body free from pain, decay, tears, torment, brokenness. A spiritual body that can fully comprehend and interact intimately with God himself, and the new heaven and earth. This is where hope is found. You can only truely live this flesh life, with all its suffering and challenge, if you have hope in this spiritual immortal life. Hope enables us to give ourselves fully in this life for it is not all we have. Hope enables me to face, and thrive, and give myself, in this life whatever it serves me.
Application
Live hope filled in future resurrection life. Shape whatever today serves with the story of future immortal hope, with the gratitude of future hope, with the generosity that future hope enables. Where here is only part of the story then i don’t have to make here give me all I desire, for the fullness of my desires will only be met in the hoped immortal spiritual future. I will live here fully aware of then.
Response
Thank you that there is so much to be grateful for in the here and now when I have the assurance of the then to come. Thank you that your resurrection assures me of mine. I will rest in faith that you will be faithful to raise your creation to all your intended fullness and I will be part of its glory. What a life I can live here, when I am assured of then!
Meditation
Meditate – The body is “sown” in decay, but will be raised in immortality.
Consider:
How would your today be shaped when hope in the future is yours?
Is this all there is?
JOURNEY DEEPER
