2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (New Living Translation)
New Bodies
1 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. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. 4 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. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body
Mike's Thoughts:
There is a tension I have. I think it's a healthy tension but none the less, it’s a tension. If I really believed there was more to this life than what I see, and that heaven is real and a better place, then why do I want to be here so badly? Why would being dead be the worst thing in the world? We all go through it. When a baby dies we are sad, but if that baby is in heaven and is healthy, isn't that better? If a person is sick and may die, isn't that better? I know we are sad because of the loss, but at the same time there usually isn't any rejoicing that the person is in a better place. Do we ever find ourselves wanting to be in heaven? I wonder if we get the part where Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to give us confidence to know that there is more to this life. I hear non believers say "there has to be more to life than this". According to this scripture the Holy spirit is speaking to them. They didn't come up with that thought. I think that it is too easy to think about heaven and so we ignore the holy spirit and trust our natural instincts to be sad and fearful. I want to encourage you to not trust your "natural" instinct to be sad and to spend time reflecting on what heaven is and what it will be like. I want us to be more heaven minded than earthly minded. I know it's a tension but let it be a tension and not give up on how real Heaven is.
Prayer:
Thanks that we have a hope that is a guarantee. A guarantee that we can be in heaven with you one day. Thanks that you have given us the holy spirit that communicates to us that we have something bigger out there. Thanks that we have something to look forward to. Thanks that we can trust you with our eternity. --amen
Mike's Notes:
1. Our bodies and this earth are temporary.
2. God is making us new ones.
3. Not only will we not have physical pain in heaven, we won't have emotional pain as well.
4. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that there is more.
5. If we don't look forward to heaven maybe we don't feel, trust, listen, or even believe in the holy spirit.
6. We will all face Christ to be judged.
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