In His Image

When he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. —1 John 3:2

As believers, when we die we will not only be raised to new life but God will radically transform us. In our present state, our physical bodies bear the image of our first father, Adam. In eternity we will bear the image of our second and better Father, Jesus Christ.

God promises incorruptibility as an accompaniment to our immortality, and pondering this promise moves me to tears. For years I’ve struggled with chronic illness. So many times I’ve cried, “How long, Lord?” Some days my ability to minister to others is seemingly hindered by my physical limitations.

To make matters worse, my illness has often been a primer for sin in my own heart. The temptation to hold on to bitterness, anger, jealousy, and resentment has felt insurmountable. As you can imagine, embracing the promise that this old body will one day be made new is like beautiful music to my ears. To know that one day our worship of God will no longer be hindered is an amazingly glorious truth.