Our scripture this morning is 2 Corinthians 5:1-5.
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
There is probably nothing we are more attached to here on earth than our physical bodies. We live “in” them; they are always with us. As wonderful as they are, they wear out as does any earthly thing.
Paul compares the earthly bodies in which we exist and the heavenly body we will receive when we go to be with God eternally. We can’t know the details, yet we have faith that our Creator has a plan for us more marvelous than we can imagine. This agrees with what Paul has written earlier “Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).
We must realize that our bodies are not really “us”, merely a vessel for our souls while we are here. We are much more than just flesh and blood and we must treat each other as such. Christian writer C. S. Lewis says “you have never met a mere mortal”. When we see each other as God’s beloved children and ignore the frailty and failings of our human bodies, we begin to love each other as God intended.
Heavenly Father, we are grateful for our bodies to be able to accomplish Your will for us here. Help us to be ready for our eternal form, to live with You forever. Amen.