Wednesday, May 06, 2009

5-6 The Peak of Perfection - Resurrection

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The year was 1977. That’s when I first was introduced. She was so shy then. I really didn’t like her at first. Our first conversation was completely one sided. I did all the talking and she just bobbed her head shyly, to keep her eyes out of range. We met in the middle of the long concrete stairway between Aagard and VanGuilder Hall. I was relieved when our “conversation” was finally over and her brother came to pick her up. But that was not the end of it! She liked me. And when a woman wants something, look out! She schemed until she finally got me on a date with her, and that was that! No more dates with cute blonds, she made sure of that. We fell in love. I took her to Silver Falls Park where we kissed underneath the cascading waterfalls. We drove to the coast where we spent a blissful day on the sand in each other’s arms. It’s now been… let me think? Thirty One years today! Happy Anniversary Susan!

Today's Scripture reading is 1 Samuel 16; Hosea 5; Romans 12
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.podbean.com - Archives can be found at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com

Today’s thought comes from 1 Corinthians 15: 35 But someone will say, "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" 36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies… 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

What will I be like in heaven? Will you be able to recognize me? Will I still be Dennis? How “old” will I be? If I died as a child will I look like a child, and if I died as an old man will I look like an old man? Will I still be 5’9”, have brown hair and hazel eyes (I guess I have hazel eyes, I never pay attention!). How are the dead raised? With what body do they come? Paul gives the key. Death is like planting a seed, resurrection is like germination. Plant a plain, dry, brown, non-descript seed into the ground, add water, wait… and in a matter of days a green frond emerges that may grow into a majestic tree. The seed is plain, the tree is spectacular! The seed and the tree don’t look anything like each other except there is a symbiotic relationship. Seeds of the same kind inevitably produce the same kind of plant. The point is that our lives are ordinary and plain compared to the majesty and awe of the resurrection. In fact, ordinary and plain are too expressive. A better word of comparison would be “dormant” or “dead.” Compare that to our resurrection where we experience a new existence bursting with life, vitality and power. If you think this life is good, the next will be spectacular. If you think this life is bad, the next will be even more amazing! You will still be “you,” and everyone will recognize you, but something radical will have changed. No more break downs, no more deterioration, no more aging… the principle at work in your body, instead of leading to a downward spiral toward death, will resiliently energize and maintain a perfect balance of life. You will be resurrected at the peak of perfection. I’ve never reached that yet. I suppose my body was close somewhere in my teens or twenties, but even then it was impacted by entropy. I will finally be the me I was meant to be! I will be, you might say, “just like Jesus.”

Dear Father and Creator. Thank you for the promise of the resurrection. I have many flaws right now, many aches and pains and weaknesses. Thanks for the hope and joy and promise that when you raise me up I will put all that behind me in a beautiful display of resurrection! I can’t wait.

As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us

5-6 The Peak of Perfection - Resurrection

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