2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven; inasmuch as we, having put it on, shall not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight—we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad
Three weeks ago my best friend Heather Marie Lee left for Texas, and never returned. I woke up January 16th, 2011 to the phone call no one ever wants to get. I was told that Heather was driving in Texas and she hydroplaned, hit a pole, and died instantly. Her neck was broken and all the bones on the left side of her body were completely crushed.
My response on the phone that day? No she didn't. You're lying. It isn't true. Heather is not dead.
The next week was hell on earth. Literally. I didn't stop crying for 3 days straight. I didn't know it was possible for my tear ducts to create so many tears. I had so many questions, so many frustrations. Heather didn't tell anyone she was going to Texas, because she knew we would all tell her not to go. Every day since it happened I have wanted to say “I told you so.” I've called her voicemail countless times just to hear her voice. I want to just talk with her, and tell her that going to Texas is a bad idea. Tell her that we love her and we want her to stay here with us. Tell her that I need her, and she can't die...because what am I going to do without her? My best friend, my little sister, my eternal bridesmaid.
Heather Marie Lee is in heaven right now, saving me a seat beside the King of the universe. Her body is in Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama...but the Heather that I love and miss isn't here. She's in another place...a faraway place...a glorious place. The celestial city.
But it bothers me that her body is here. The mortal Heather that I know is still here, buried in the ground with a mound of dirt on top of her and flowers marking the grave. What? That is crazy. Not my Heather. Her soul is gone though, and until Christ comes again she will be a disembodied spirit in heaven. Yes, it is a disturbing thought. I am going to be the same way when I die.
I finally understand what it means to LONG for the coming of Christ. Paul understood it too. He wanted to be with Christ, but he also didn't want to be separated from his body. He didn't enjoy the thought of being a bodiless spirit floating around until the 2nd coming of Jesus. But he also knew that being with Jesus in spirit was far better than decaying away on this earth, apart from his Savior.
John Piper says, “And the reason for this willingness to leave his body behind is not because the body is bad—O, how he wants the experience of the new resurrection body—but because being at home with the Lord is so irresistibly attractive to Paul. 'I prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.'.”
Now I understand. Now I can say with the saints throughout the ages, “Come quickly Lord Jesus, come quickly.”
I am bound for the Promised Land.
