June 26- 1 Corinthians 15:12-49
Dear Father, we come before you in praise and with thanksgiving for You give us our ‘But God’ moments. You orchestrate our lives for Your glory. May we in our quiet time recognize You for who You are: our Lord God, the God of Israel.
First, do your own quiet time and 4R journaling. When you are completed, come back here for the lesson.
Request God’s help
Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-49
Record a verse that stands out to you
Respond to God
But God gives it (us) a body He has chosen
Oh, what a great passages to study after yesterday’s passage! And I don’t even know where to begin, I need to focus and choose a direction. But God…! Yes, but God! This passage is slammed full of ‘but God’ moments!
In sin we are perishable, but God raised us imperishable
In sin we were sown in dishonor, but God raised us in glory.
In sin we were sown in weakness, but God raised us in power.
In sin we were sown a natural body, but praise God He gives us a spiritual body!
What is this new body? How is this possible? We don’t look any different than we did before, what is Paul talking about here? For this Paul, and now we, look to agriculture to expand our understanding. I love when God uses His own creation to teach us things. It’s almost like He planned it that way… hmmmmm…. Anyways, we are as the seed, created by a word, planted so that the old falls away and composts into the earth. New life springs forward toward the sun to grow into what it was always meant to be. Just as the seed, our old life is old and decaying. But God gave us. A new life. HE knew beforehand what we would grow to be (verse 10). But by the grace of God our sins were covered, our old life cast away and new life was given to enable us to grow as He intended.
The first Adam was raised from the earth, but the new Adam, Jesus, was of heaven. But God, provided a way to salvation. But God gave us a new body and by the grace of God I am what I am. Praise God! We have a new life, a new body, we are new creations in God! Our old lives gone, and our new ones given!
We were not created spontaneously or by chance. Our creation was intentional, deliberate – and isn’t that just like our God, ever intentional. So, who are you in Christ? What is the new you’s purpose? What did He design you to be in Him? I am prayerful over you, that God will show you His purpose for you, and that you use what He has done in you to bring Him all the glory. Walk in joy today knowing that God, the Master Gardener, cast your old self away and gave you new life. A life to grow in Him, to bear fruits of His Spirit, and to worship Him all the days of your life. Rejoice! For Love has come, Hope is here, and you… you are covered in His grace and mercy!
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10
(Further Reading: John 12:20-26)
Dear Lord, we praise You for You are holy, for You are creator, You are the master planner. We thank You for all You have done, we thank You for our lives!
What’s next?
As the Spirit leads, in the comment section below, share what He has laid on your heart.
Then join us again tomorrow for the next commentary.
My Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:38, “But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.”
1 Comment. Leave new
1 Corinthians 15:43 “Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength.”
As I age, my body is less capable. I wear glasses and a hearing aid. I find it harder to open a jar of jam and need a tool to help me. Eventually, this dear old body of mine will break. But God … will give me a new immortal body “raised in strength.” Melissa, you are SO right that inwardly, I am a new creation already, and that newness of learning in Jesus will remain, but hallelujah, a NEW body will come as well. Death has lost its sting for me! For beyond death lies the beginning of a whole new kind of living where I’ll be whole and healthy physically AND spiritually and will see the living God. Oh Father – how I thank You that our endings as humans are actually the beautiful beginning of a glorious forever with You!