Good morning all. What a beautiful day yesterday! Cool and crisp...fall is in the air!
Yesterday was an outside work day, trying to get caught up on garden projects and vegetable processing! The kids are on their way home for the weekend. Lauren and Joseph go back on Monday; then Chris and I pack up their stuff and move them to Balston Spa. Life will be in turmoil for a few days!
Paul begins this chapter with definitive words, "We know..." Talk about being positive! There is no swaying in his statement...we know! He makes the analogy that our bodies are like tents- just temporary structures. One definitely cannot live forever in a tent, and when that tent is struck down, God has something better- a house- something more solid for us! Jesus references this in John 14 when Jesus says, "In my Father's house..."
And when we are in the tent, "we groan..." If you have ever spent a day or two in a tent, you know the feeling! We do groan. That's what life is like for us now in this world! Groaning and tough, but we have hope in a heavenly home! God is preparing us for life in tat heavenly home (v 5). God is grooming us for eternal life! The presence of the Holy Spirit in Paul gives him the confidence (v 6) Paul needs to work through this life, to be able to deal with the persecution and troubles, to continue in the presence of disagreement. The Spirit in Paul keeps him striving for better things.
Paul says we walk by faith, not by sight (v 7). Walking by faith means that faith is an integral pert of our daily life, it is part of who we are and how we live. Is it? Paul makes a bold statement, felt by many early Christians, that they desire to be away from this body so they can be at one with God. Do we love God so much that we are "excited" to die or looking forward to our death so that we can be one with God? Paul's truth is that if he is absent from the earthly body then he will be present with God. What we do now has an impact on our future eternal life (v 9), so we should strive to please God and do the best we can to walk in the model that Jesus showed us. Both God and Jesus are watching too and we will be judged (v 10). Our reward will be based on our earthly body and what we do with it. Not very comforting at times!
We all try to be good people, we all try to do right, we all try to follow the model set by Jesus. Do people know our faith by looking and watching us? That's what Paul is saying in vv 11-12 as he somewhat defends his ministry. Paul knows what eternity can be, and knows that God is watching. His goal is to live a positive life and "persuade" others to follow Christ. Paul's life (and ours) is controlled by our love for Christ. The more we love Jesus, the better we are, the more people grow in faith. Our life should be focused on Jesus and should make people want to be better (or at least question why we are doing what we are doing!).
Paul teaches an important lesson on regeneration (v 17). We that are one with Christ have been made new again. We are different when we have a relationship with Christ, we are more complete, we are holy, we are redone in the image of God. When we have that relationship of love with Christ, we also have that relationship of love with God. And when something is good, we want to share that with others (v 18). Paul's version of the Great Commission, "God gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have..." (v 18). Do we? Our old life is taken away and a new being is created. Do we feel new? Do we sense that rebirth? Do we have that idea of freshness and life?
I do lots of highlighting in my Bible. This set of verses (vv 18-20), the word peace is highlighted five times! You think there is a point Paul is trying to get at?! Do we experience that peace that Paul speaks about? Do we feel at peace? I know I don't have that feeling much. I try, but there is so much going on in the world that draws my attention away from God. I need to reset and refocus. I need to think not of this earthly body but of this heavenly promise!
Some great words from Paul. As we have read in many letters, he has such passion and compassion for Christ and getting the message out! Enjoy his words!
Have a good weekend!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
We both found this chapter to be very deep. The idea that our life on earth was like living in a tent and that God has a better life laid out for us when this one is through is something I had never thought of before and it is comforting in that this life has been tough at times and very wonderful at other times.
ReplyDeleteThren we come to verse 10 which to me is a stern warning. Although we have been told that Jesus died for our sins and that we are forgiven, Paul deviates from that theme and says: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." [NIV translation] This says to me that what we do here on earth will be judged and we will be held accountable. As a sinner who has done things I am not proud of, this is not comforting and it makes me nervous. We will be judged and, I believe, we will have to atone for what we have done here on earth.
This is contrary to what I have seen in the NT to date, but it is in keeping with my upbringing in the Episcopal Church. I don't know what is preached now, but when I was young, we were taught that we were "not worthy to gather the crumbs up off the floor" or something like that. Not good for one's self esteem!
In regards to your question about whether we feel the peace that Paul speaks about? My answer: Rarely. I feel at peace at times, but not very often of late. I think some of it has to do with moving clear across the country at this stage of my life, but I rarely felt at peace back in NY either. It is a wonderful feeling, however. Certainly a feeling one should not have after reading this chapter.
I am returning to Billings, MT to have deep brain surgery on my right side (left brain) on Tuesday to treat an essential tremor. The surgery is on Wednesday morning, so my blogging may be intermittent for the next week or two. I had the other side done last December and it has made a difference and I was advised by my neurologist to have the other side done. I am taking my laptop with me, so hopefully I will be able to participate at least some of the time during my recovery. Hopefully I will be home on Thursday, but I may not feel like doing too much. I return to Billings on Sept 16 to get a battery implant put in to complete the surgical part, then my neurologist here in Great Falls will program the device.
I know you will miss Joseph and I feel for you. Back in the days when Dan and his family lived in Arkport, we could brag about having the whole family within 2 hours of us. Then they moved to California, Jeff moved to Texas and Chris moved to Ohio. Our nearest family was now about 9 hours away. Ah, the joys of living in Upstate NY where it seems that opportunity for young people has vanished. At least Ballston Spa isn't that far away, but it is far enough!
I do like Paul's analogy of our current life being like living in a tent-- transient, not permanent. The idea that God has something more permanent is nice and comforting!
DeleteWe are going to be judged- but God's shows great mercy and grace and I am confident that the things form my past life will be "forgotten" as will yours!
It is hard to be trying to start a new life in a new area especially given the things during the past year! Peace is hard to come by and I don't feel it often either!
Find peace with your upcoming surgery and may it help as you expect!
It is going to be a tough adjustment not having the kid running around! I am glad I was able to share my summer with him!
Jack, I will be praying for you as you go through this week. No one likes to have surgery, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteI would say that I don't feel peace too often either. Probably part of it is my own fault.
Our world doesn't make a person feel much peace. This week I heard a news clip about Qanon. I don't know much about this group but it's another one of those scary things. The news person said that this "cult" has about 180,000 members. I need to learn what this all about. And how about Afghanistan? I have been adding the Afghan women to my prayer list. I know the people left to Taliban rule must be suffering.
In our own country, there is still so much division. Grown adults fighting about wearing a mask! I can't believe it.
Today I may get some peace working on another of my crazy projects. Our library has collected school supplies. A church in Owego brought us 14 backpacks and lots of other stuff hoping that we would distribute it. I called DSS and talked the foster care coordinator. I asked her if there were foster children in Tioga County that needed school supplies (thinking that we had so much). She got a list together and it's 4 pages long! She said that they needed 20 backpacks and supplies. Actually, she counted incorrectly. They need 29. Today I spent the day sorting supplies, making lists of what we have and what we need and shopping. A couple of friends contributed to the cause. I really want to get this done in time for school to start. (see what I mean that I make my own trouble?). The foster care lady said that lots of the families just don't take the time to buy these kids what they need. Some people, unfortunately, don't use the state money they get in the best way. It must be hard enough to be a foster kid, let alone to have to go to school without having what you need.
Maybe peace is a gift that we get to enjoy once in a while. I read a quote that said "Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart." I think that that is what the Holy Spirit does for us- if we ask.
I wish everyone a peaceful long weekend. How can it be September already?
SO true Cathy- it is hard to find peace in the world that we have, but we need to continue to have hope and look for the good in the world= there is good!
DeletePlease let us know what we can do to help with the backpack project- I wish we had known earlier! Keep us updated and we can help
Thanks Cathy!
Pastor Paul . sounds like you will be very busy this coming week and also missing your little buddy. How wonderful that you have had time to spend with family and him this summer.
ReplyDeleteJack, thinking and praying for you as you have this surgery also praying for good results.
I guess i never thought about what our bodies would be like when we are in heaven with God I did not think that this body would be there though. Not looking forward to that judgement day. Hoping that Jesus forgiving our sins will be a little helpful though and our asking for forgiveness counts also. We are all sinners and that judgement will be tough. I'm thinking that Jesus said in my
Fathers house are many mansions, but will there be other houses? Mine will probably be a hut if I had to judge myself.. I do keep trying to be better but we can't change the past.
Have a great Labor Day weekend all.
I think everyone questions what we will be like in God's kingdom- and what it will look like! Hopefully we will find out some day!
DeleteThanks Clara
Jack, you will be in my prayers as well! You and Rhea both, for I know she will be worried and anxious!
ReplyDeleteThere was a time in my life where I was not on the path that I should have been on - my belief in God never waivered, but my faith did. I was living as I knew God would not have wanted me to and I was rationalizing my actions so that I thought God would be ok with it. However, when I rededicated my life to God, I felt such a relief (although not the right word) - and a peaceful way of being. So I have to say, I have felt that "peace".
Cathy, my church is always looking for ministries to be a part of and I think you have just suggested an excellent one! Thank you for that! We do work closely with the Elementary School in our area, but contacting the Foster Care group gives us an opportunity to broaden our ministry work!
I agree, Jack, vs. 10 is a bit disconcerting and I wonder what that means for us - for me in particular. To be truthful, I always thought I would look as I do now when I go to heaven - or how does anyone recognize me? Or I those that have gone on ahead? Hmmmm I thought that the 1st. verse meant that everything we feel is important now - all the things we "worship" on earth - is only temporary - put your faith in God!! But I loved vs. 7 - For we walk by faith, not by sight. Paul must have been really criticized for such a long letter defending himself and his ministry.
Pastor, I hope this week is good for you ! Lots of work and a sad parting!!!
Interesting- belief in God never waivered but faith did! Like you- I think we all rationalize what we do so God will "approve"!
ReplyDeleteV 10 is hard- but Like I said to Jack- God shows much mercy and grace!
Thanks DOnna