It’s Sunday! I got to play in our praise band this morning which always lifts my spirits. But it’s also a beautiful, sunny cool day outside to sit in the swing and write a bit. So here goes:
I saw this picture floating around social media recently promoting some social agenda cause. I’ll let you conclude which. Because frankly when I saw it, I immediately focused in on the bones.
For dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 18:27. This much is true. Notice how all seven skeletons look identical. In reality, you’d be hard pressed to find the same, with the exception of identical twins I suppose. The captions above represent the manner in which those former human beings chose to live their lives, which we are all free to do by the way. Until of course that final breath. Then the preverbal bell will toll for thee and me. The bridge between the temporary and eternal will suddenly be gapped and thrust upon us. To put it bluntly, our corporeal body will begin to rot along with our influence (possibly) on our little corner of the world. Who will notice our absence? How many lives will we have changed for the better, or heaven forbid, for worse.
Will it really matter what color skin we had? In my view, the color assigned at our conception by a most holy God. Will our sexual orientation have any lasting effects? Possibly. However the entirety of our life’s decisions alter the course of our lives in countless ways, therefore it would be folly to focus on one and not the others.
Being religious is hardly of any value. In fact I think I would enjoy being a pirate more. An atheist to me is acknowledging that which he denies. This too is folly. Ah, but a relationship with the One who created it all, the ground under your feet used to support your home, the soil borrowed to grow the food you eat, the sunlight you soaked in to get that nice tan, He is the One I want to know and a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. That’s it. No attempt at a convincing argument or emotional appeal.
Just look at those beautiful bones above. One day soon, that’s what we’ll all be reduced to. But there remains a much greater hope beyond our bones.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1
Jim
Interesting that we were pondering similar themes this week-end. Some additional thoughts:
RACE has NO Godly spiritual significance
In Christ Jesus, race, social status, or gender has any Godly spiritual significance.
Galatians 3:28
[28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
We don't know Christ, or ourselves by the flesh, the senses. He has made us a new creation!
2 Corinthians 5:15–17
[15] and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
[16] From now on, therefore, we regard NO ONE (including ourselves) according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (ESV)
Our True Self is no longer those dry, dusty, bones. We were made alive with Christ.
The picture says it all. In the end, when the flesh has returned to dust, the only thing that will matter is did the 'flesh' house the Holy Spirit?