A Life Worthy

The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.  And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man(1 Corinthians 15:47-49).

I yearn to bear the image of the heavenly man.

I can’t tell you exactly what it will look like or feel like, but I know it’s what I want.

It’s what I am made to be.

But I’ve got to say, I identify way too much with the man of the earth.

I feel the dust of the earth blowing in and through me.

God made this body, so I know it is good, but it is broken like this world is broken.

It is weak like this world is weak.

It falls to sin like this world falls to sin.

On mornings like this, I feel like a man who can smell the banquet being prepared

but is waiting in the next room with a stale bologna sandwich and a can of warm, flat soda.

I know the dinner bell will ring, and I will be called to the feast.

But for now…

Happy Wednesday, Beloved

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being;” the second Adam, a life-giving spirit  (1 Corinthians 15:44-45).

God made Adam from the dust of the earth. 

God breathed life into Adam, and through Adam we have muscle and bone and pleasure and pain and life…and death.

God made Jesus–

Ah, but God didn’t make Jesus, did he?

Jesus, the Eternal Son, laid aside his glory, took upon himself muscle and bone and pleasure and pain and physical life…and death. 

Then laid that down…for a moment.

When he arose, our Lord united the flesh that was so very mortal with the immortality of his spirit,

and he gave this gift

to us.

I don’t know how, but I know why.

And so do you, Beloved.

Happy Monday

All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another, and star differs from star in splendor (1 Corinthians 15:39-41).

Once upon a time I was shopping in a big box store when I saw packages of wildflower seeds for sale.  As it happens, I have an area in my backyard–90%ish–that is somewhat unkempt. I try occasionally to kemp it, but to no avail. Seeing this package, I imagined my barren wasteland transformed into a wildflower oasis, complete with singing songbirds and fluttering butterflies. I bought the seed, took it home, and began to scatter it liberally, as the directions directed. Looking at the seeds in my hand, I was decidedly underwhelmed. These were dry, shriveled, crusty little things that looked more like store-brand granola than the embryos of a wildflower oasis. I sowed them anyway, hit the area with the hose for a bit, and promptly forgot about them.

Until…

A few weeks later…

I had wildflowers.

Beautiful wildflowers

They varied widely in color and form, and they looked absolutely nothing like granola.

So much splendor, so much beauty, so much life from what had appeared to be dead. I couldn’t tell you what seeds had turned into what flowers, because they looked nothing alike. 

Beloved, these seeds we inhabit may be looking dry and withered and like store-brand granola, but…

Yeah, but.

Happy Thursday.

But someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies  (1 Corinthians 15:36).

OK, I know I’m always talking about keeping things in context, but how can I not stop at this line?

What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

Paul is going to give us plenty of examples of what he’s talking about over the next few verses. In fact, we’ll be digging through this concept for the rest of the week–at least. But for the moment, will you join me in an experiment? Let’s just meditate on this verse for the day. Let it roll around in your head and hit all your mental taste buds. Ask God to show you what this verse means in the context of the passage and, perhaps, in the context of your life.

Is there something in your 

life

work

walk

heart

that God wants to bury in order to raise it? Are you willing to find out?

Be willing to find out.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved

Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God–I say this to your shame (1 Corinthians 15:34).

Given the context, the sin Paul is talking about the denial of the resurrection. Their denial shows that they don’t know God or understand what He has done for them. That they claim to be Christians is an embarrassment.

But let’s take this verse out of context. Usually taking scripture out of context is a Bozo No-No, but I think we can support it here. How many people do you know–in your world, in your church, in your home, in your skin–who claim to be believers but live in obvious sin? What might Paul say to them?  Perhaps,

Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; [you] are ignorant of God–I say this to your shame.

Something to chew on this morning

Happy Friday, Beloved