This Aint All There Is

I am getting a new body. That thought occurred to me as I was driving to church today, turning on the air conditioner, because I was so hot. Then, I quickly turned it off, because it was so cold. I’m getting a new body. As I see the one I’m in aging, which to me seems quickly, the thought of a new body is thrilling.

This current state of my body will not be forever. The increasingly large bags under my eyes will be gone. The gray hair-gone. The aches and pains that seem to harass me on a daily basis-gone. I look at my son who seems to have the energy of a squirrel, I’m jealous. The cashier at the grocery store today asked me what my plans were and I told him I planned to nap. That really was my plan. And I actually got it accomplished.

Aging for the Christian isn’t so bad. Well it’s bad, but it’s only temporary. It’s not the state we will live in forever. Those of us who are believers get a new body. How fun is that? I have a friend who has a diet that limits her to basically two things she can safely eat. She told me she longs for heaven, when she can eat anything. I’m up for that.

The Christian life offers the believer so much hope. We have hope that this life isn’t all there is. We have hope for eternal life. We have hope for heaven and not hell. We have hope for a new body. Hope to see our Christian loved ones that have gone on ahead of us. Hope to see God in person, the One who saved us.

We don’t take it with us. We get a whole new body. I asked my kids one time, what they looked forward to about heaven. My son says he likes the idea of teleporting. Jesus is our example of what we have to look forward to and He seemed to teleport in and out of buildings, appearing, then disappearing. What a concept!

“A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” John 20:26

See, teleporting.

We weren’t meant to age. Aging is part of the curse we received once Adam and Eve sinned. Death was not part of the equation at that time. But their sin brought about death and aging. Thanks to them, we now live half our lives in a gradual state of decay as we march towards death. That’s a depressing thought. But it’s not permanent.

We get a brand new body. One that is immortal. One that isn’t decaying. We get to live forever and do it in style. I for one, am thrilled at the prospect.

For those of us who are true believers, we don’t have to mourn, our decaying bodies. We’ll get a new one. One that will last for eternity. One without the bags, the tiredness, the aches and pains, gray hair. All those things come from the fall. We’ll have face lifts without looking like the Joker from Batman.

Who is looking forward to this besides me?

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-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.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52