20-21 But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthly bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.
Philippians 3: 20-21 The Message
God will make us beautiful and whole. This promise from scripture is meaningful, for much of what we see in the media is a world full of ugliness and brokenness. We know that God created the world as something good, and that the goodness included us. Yet sin and the forces of evil have conspired to scar that which was once smooth as silk, and to deform that which was perfect. The passing of time means that some of formerly pristine creations of God now bear the blemish of sin.
Yet the good news is that Christ came to restore, renew, and re-build. Jesus came to save us, because of His great love for us. Sadly, with Christ’s crucifixion, sin did not end. Generations of people have continued to sin, and will continue to do so. Yet with Christ’s death and resurrection, we were given a choice to move away from sin. An outgrowth of that choice is that with God’s help, our own bodies might be restored to something beautiful and whole. We are never out of options, for Christ will never withdraw His love.
By speaking of our earthly bodies, Paul is not focused upon the superficial, or upon beauty which is only skin-deep. The Apostle is pointing to God’s transformative power which renews and transforms all things, including our hearts, our own lives, and our relationships. In some ways, the outward transformation wrought by God’s powerful skill is a metaphor for His inner transformation of our souls.
In this passage, Paul refers to what Christ will offer us when He returns. But what about the present? We should not to just sit around and wait for the Lord to come back to fix things. No! Just the opposite: we are to be preparing ourselves so that when we do enter into the presence of the Lord, we will have been striving to live a life that is beautiful and whole in His eyes.
Are there parts of your life that feel broken, tarnished, and unworthy? Do you long for the knowledge that you have been made whole?
If so, cling to this powerful promise from scripture: that all which is unsightly, damaged, and scarred by the ravages of sin will one day be made whole. You will be restored by the transformative power of Jesus Christ. Our Lord promises to make all things new. As the scripture puts it, He is “putting everything as it should be.” Hallelujah! and Amen.
Prayer
Holy Lord,
Thank You for Your promise to make whole that which is broken in my life. You have given me the amazing power of choice. When I look to You, give me the desire to move closer to You, rather than away. Thank You for giving me many second chances. May my words and actions be a testimony to others that not only are You a healing Lord, but a forgiving Lord. Thank You for removing the ugliness of sin, and replacing it with something beautiful in my life. I pray this prayer in Your holy name.
Amen
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