25 OCT 23 Wednesday: A Closer Walk Devotional
“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. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Cor. 15: 54-55
It is now two months until Christmas! Growing up, I remember waking up early with my brother to scope out the gifts under the tree. Ever so often we would get a bike for Christmas and it would usually stand out because that is one thing that was difficult to wrap. It usually would have a bow on it or it might have a sheet over it. We loved getting a new bike.
I was particularly hard on bikes because me and my friends would do all kinds of crazy stuff like jumping over ramps, riding through mud, and racing through the neighborhood. Oh course with all that fun we would have tremendous wrecks that required regular maintenance or some duct tape. Our bodies can be like those bikes and take a beating while having fun or just doing life. You might not have a lot of age on you, but you have a lot of mileage and can feel it.
Ask someone in their forties to eighties how their body is holding up. They will freely tell you of all the aches and pains or they might give you a smile to let you know they have worn out a few parts that maintenance won’t fix. The older you get the reality of death becomes more evident knowing you have lived more than you have left. The hope of the gospel turns those thoughts on its ear. Those that die in the Lord or if the Lord returns, will have a great transformation to look forward to.
Paul says, that we will don a new body, a glorified body, that will last for eternity. Jesus says that there will be no more tears death, sorrow, crying, pain, and all these things are gone forever. To me, that will be the best Christmas gift ever! Right now we have the promise of it, but when it becomes a reality, it will be a joyous moment. We too can say, O death where is your sting? O death, where is your victory?
Are you looking forward to the new body that Jesus will give us?
Reading Plan: Psalm 38; Lam. 2:8-15, ; 1 Cor. 15:51-58; Matt. 12:1-14
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