We… groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:23 (NIV)
God could have kept this amazing gift of the resurrection body as a surprise. If he had done that, we would still have the joy of knowing that our souls would be with Christ in heaven.
When Christ comes, he will bring the souls of those who have already died with him, and we will be caught up with them in the air. At that moment he could shout “Surprise!” and clothe us with the resurrection body. But he does not leave it as a surprise. He tells us about the resurrection body now.
Why? Because he wants you to know that your future life will not be less than you can experience in your body; it will be more. Many Christians have difficulty anticipating the after-life because they have the idea that what Christ has prepared for us in heaven is a kind of half-life, a compensation for those who became too old or who died too young and did not have the strength to continue in this world.
The glorious freedom of the children of God is not a compensation for missing out on life here. It is the fulfillment of the purpose for which you were created and redeemed. And God wants you to know this hope so that you can live in it now, no matter what your losses are in this life.
Do you find it difficult to anticipate an after-life that’s more than you can experience in your body now?
