Raised and Glorified

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” 1 Cor. 15:42-44.

Today is the day Bruce and I will walk behind our daughter and grandchildren as they make their way down to the front of church to tell our former son-in-law goodbye.  As they were a couple, it has been a ten year season of highs and lows, hopes and dashed hopes, sickness and health, physical separation and now a temporal goodbye.  Just four days before his death, we stood in a courtroom as they finalized their decision to officially end their marriage after almost 4 years of separation.  They both stood before the judge and mutually agreed upon this decision, which little did we know would never become official.  As we were departing, we watched Wayne walk across the parking lot to return to a life that seemed to lack the rewards that Kristen had found for her life.  Tearfully she spoke words that at the time seemed sad but four days later seemed spiritually prophetic, ‘Mom, I’ve got so much to go back to, what does he have?’ 

Well as I sit here this morning adjusting my mind and heart to the goodbye, I’m elated for what Wayne went back to.  He went back to trading a tired, sick and worn body for a beautiful whole spiritual body made in the image of his Father.  He went back and traded in sinful flesh for a perfect and pure spirit never to be tempted again.  He traded weaknesses that plagued his life for the power of God who saved his life.  As he stood at heaven’s gates I know that he handed over the final thing before entering… his naturalness…his fallen condition since birth…his earthly tent.

He now walks in perfection and purity in a spiritual body, and he is the one who came out of the Judge’s chamber with everything.  My daughter and her new life will be a sweet one as she will be well taken care of but Wayne received the ultimate inheritance – a child of God going home to spend eternity with his Father face to face.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.  He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” Revelation 21:4-5.