January 9, 2018 THIS IS LIFE
2 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our otter man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”
This verse strikes deep within; it brings to the forefront a truth we try to ignore. Yet, the truth presented in this verse is liberating when embraced. The inescapable fact that we must face is that our physical body is decaying-what a morbid thought you may say. Taking care of our bodies through exercise and proper diet is a good thing-after all, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our motivation for taking care of our body is the important question; is it because we belong to God and we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, or is it based on pride-how we look? We would no doubt be shocked if we knew how much money and time is spent in our culture on ‘looking good.’ Again, taking care of our bodies is a good thing-don’t get me wrong-it’s a good thing for us to look our best because we belong to God and we are His ambassadors. With that being said, let us get to the liberating truth of the verse. It’s true, and it’s good to admit it, and accept as true that our outer man, our bodies, are decaying, BUT our inner man, our spirit, is being RENEWED day by day. Being overly focused on our ‘outward man’ is a sure sign that our predominant focus is not on the eternal, but on the temporal; it is ever so easy to get caught up in living as though this is our permanent home. Even though the aging process stops for no one, our spirit, or inner man can be renewed day by day and can continue to expand to an ever increasing understanding of God and His eternal kingdom. It’s good to be reminded that, as someone said, “We are not a body with a spirit, but a spirit with a body.” God created us with an eternal purpose in mind-that we might know Him and have eternal life with Him. Life on earth is really nothing more than getting us ready to be transferred to eternal life with Him in heaven where aging and death do not exist. As you read about the believers in the early church, as well as some other believers in more modern times, you quickly realize that their view of life on the earth was that it was temporary; they looked forward to being with the Lord. We were created by God, we were saved by the grace of God and made a part of His kingdom. If we know Him as Savior, our eternal life with Him has already begun! We have every reason to be optimistic about our future-no matter what we are experiencing at the present time and no matter that the aging process is well underway. Let us gladly accept, even embrace the cycle of physical life that God has designed-only then can we experience life to the fullest and only then are we ready to live! We have on average about seventy five years to live on this earth, let us seize every moment, let us squeeze every drop out of the life we have here, BUT let us live as eternal beings who are destined to be with the Lord, with no fear of death.
Isaiah 40:31, 46:4 “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
Philippians 3:20-21 “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”
Blessings,
Buddy
2 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our otter man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”
This verse strikes deep within; it brings to the forefront a truth we try to ignore. Yet, the truth presented in this verse is liberating when embraced. The inescapable fact that we must face is that our physical body is decaying-what a morbid thought you may say. Taking care of our bodies through exercise and proper diet is a good thing-after all, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our motivation for taking care of our body is the important question; is it because we belong to God and we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, or is it based on pride-how we look? We would no doubt be shocked if we knew how much money and time is spent in our culture on ‘looking good.’ Again, taking care of our bodies is a good thing-don’t get me wrong-it’s a good thing for us to look our best because we belong to God and we are His ambassadors. With that being said, let us get to the liberating truth of the verse. It’s true, and it’s good to admit it, and accept as true that our outer man, our bodies, are decaying, BUT our inner man, our spirit, is being RENEWED day by day. Being overly focused on our ‘outward man’ is a sure sign that our predominant focus is not on the eternal, but on the temporal; it is ever so easy to get caught up in living as though this is our permanent home. Even though the aging process stops for no one, our spirit, or inner man can be renewed day by day and can continue to expand to an ever increasing understanding of God and His eternal kingdom. It’s good to be reminded that, as someone said, “We are not a body with a spirit, but a spirit with a body.” God created us with an eternal purpose in mind-that we might know Him and have eternal life with Him. Life on earth is really nothing more than getting us ready to be transferred to eternal life with Him in heaven where aging and death do not exist. As you read about the believers in the early church, as well as some other believers in more modern times, you quickly realize that their view of life on the earth was that it was temporary; they looked forward to being with the Lord. We were created by God, we were saved by the grace of God and made a part of His kingdom. If we know Him as Savior, our eternal life with Him has already begun! We have every reason to be optimistic about our future-no matter what we are experiencing at the present time and no matter that the aging process is well underway. Let us gladly accept, even embrace the cycle of physical life that God has designed-only then can we experience life to the fullest and only then are we ready to live! We have on average about seventy five years to live on this earth, let us seize every moment, let us squeeze every drop out of the life we have here, BUT let us live as eternal beings who are destined to be with the Lord, with no fear of death.
Isaiah 40:31, 46:4 “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
Philippians 3:20-21 “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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