We are half way through the season of Lent. I began this project twenty days ago. Thus far I have missed four posts. I am thankful this is not held against me and I am not punished for my shortcomings. Much like my real life, I am no longer subject to the punishment of death because of my shortcomings in living a perfect life. God has extended His merciful, grace-filled, free gift of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus to me. And for that, “Praise be to God”! Furthermore, by accepting this gift I immediately begin a transformation. This transformation begins with the soul and will continue with the resurrection of our physical bodies into new, eternal, spiritual bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). As you can see the process is set in motion but not yet finished (See Transformation post). The Resurrection give us a wonderful new hope in knowing that we have something to look forward to. Likewise, there will be a new heaven and earth in the coming age (Revelation 21:1). After describing the resurrection of Jesus, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” First, I would like to point out our “labor is not in vain”. What we do on earth right now is not in vain, meaning the effects we have in this age will carry over into the new and perfect age that is to come. This should give us a wonderful hope, and this hope should motivate us to do certain things. In fact, it should motivate us to be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord”. Live your life with a hope for the future knowing that what you do now affects the future. Live life to the fullest in God.
