Our Lowly Bodies – October 14, 2023

The Lord Jesus Christ . . . will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 3:20,21

Our Lowly Bodies

A handful of you will live your lives free from serious illness or injury. And when you die, you will die quietly in your sleep. For many people, however, it’s simply a matter of time before they experience the hard truth that our bodies are frail, weak, and lowly vessels.

All it takes is one nasty bacterium, one malignant cell, one stubborn virus. All it takes is a second of inattention behind the wheel or a moment of distraction at the worksite, and before you know what’s happening, you find yourself lying in a hospital bed with barely enough strength to sit up. It’s then that you understand how vulnerable your body really is. And if you manage to avoid all this, there is always the slow-motion collision your body has with old age.

No matter how fit we are, how strong, athletic, or vigorous we are—the bodies we have are still lowly bodies. They are lowly and weak because of sin.

When the Son of God entered our time and space, he took on a human body; he became a human being. In that body, he lived a sinless life on our behalf. Then he allowed sinners to nail his body to a cross. On that cross, Jesus’ body carried the sins of the whole world and paid for them in full. And three days later, Jesus rose from death, his body glorified.

What does this mean for us? God’s Word says that “the Lord Jesus Christ…will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Remember this when you look in the mirror and see your frailty. Remember this when you’re lying on a hospital bed. Remember this when you feel too weak to leave your home. Remember this when the body of a beloved Christian wears out and dies.

In this fallen world, our bodies are lowly bodies. But for the Christian, the world to come will be different. God’s Word says so.

Prayer:
Sustain me, Lord, as I grapple with my lowly body in this fallen world. Thank you for your promise to transform my lowly body to be like yours. Amen.