Good morning. Today’s Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 5:1: “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
As we navigate through life, one constant remains: time. We all age, and our bodies will inevitably begin to deteriorate. Despite our best efforts to maintain our health, time inevitably catches up with us.
It’s important to understand that we are both material and spiritual beings; we have a body and a soul. While our physical bodies will eventually decay and cease to function, the spirit/soul will continue.
Those who believe in the gospel of grace will receive a new, glorified body, similar to that of our resurrected Savior. Conversely, those who have rejected the gospel will receive a body suited for eternal punishment. Revelation 20:12,15 states, “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books... And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (NKJV).
Dear brothers and sisters, if God grants you many years and your earthly bodies grow old, there is no need to fear as death approaches. God has promised us who believe a new body. We look forward to receiving this glorious body and spending eternity with Him.
As members of the Body of Christ, let us be examples to those outside who lack hope and assurance of eternity with God. Our attitudes and actions should reflect our anticipation of God’s promise for a new and glorious body. Instead of fearing the aging process, let us look forward and rejoice in the hope of our eternal future.
Reflection: Although our earthly bodies decay, we have hope in God’s promises of an eternal house from Him, a resurrected body not made with hands.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 2 Co 5:1.