A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. —Charles Spurgeon
Here lies an Atheist. All dressed up and no place to go. —Tombstone in the Thurmont, Maryland cemetery
When Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians, he spent a good amount of time talking about the human body. He called it the “natural body” and referred to it as “flesh and blood.” He also said that it can’t “inherit the kingdom of God,” and then he talked about the mystery of death and the transformation that will take place when we are resurrected with spiritual bodies. In our struggle against the flesh and death, it will be the final home run, slam-dunk, Hail Mary touchdown pass into the end zone.
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. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:54-56)
Yeah, that’s what the future holds for the bodies of Christians: the perishable gets exchanged for the imperishable, the mortal with the immortal. That’s not just a wish. That’s the truth. We can look forward to that with certainty and boldness. But we’re not there quite yet.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)
Take one last look at your body. No, it’s not going to last; yes, it will be changed. But for now, it’s a tool waiting to be used by God to bring glory to His name.
Dear Jesus, I look forward to the new body You will give me. I believe I’ve been crucified with You and that You now live in me. Live through me today, moment by moment. Amen.