But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel…

So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-44 ESV)

It is interesting how Paul uses the analogy of a seed’s growth cycle to illustrate our resurrection through Christ. On this earth, our old life will wither away as our new life takes root in Jesus. He tells us that he is the true vine and that we are his branches; apart from him we cannot do anything (John 15:1-5).

Our growth process is at first hidden because the Lord changes us from the inside. Even though our bodies are dying outwardly, our inward spirit is being enlivened and renewed through the change that Jesus cultivates in us. By his power, the fruit of our faith blossoms into godly works, fulfilling the will of our Father and bringing him glory.

Our God created us to have a relationship with him. So it is his great pleasure to be our Father, to nurture, heal, and transform us into his Son’s perfect image. His steadfast love is our inspiration and his Spirit is the source of our strength. May our eyes continue to be fixed on Jesus in the days ahead of us. When our service is done and our maturing complete, he will, “in a twinkling of an eye,” raise us up and give us new spritual bodies. The dread of our yesterdays will be gone and the Hope of our tomorrow will finally arrive. We can rejoice like never before because we endured until the end. This is the Lord’s promise to us and we are to be the most thankful and joyful citizens because of it. Amen!