PAIN, SICKNESS AND HOPE

  

But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?"

You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;

and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else.

But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own.

All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish.

There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;

 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.

The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.

As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.

Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

                                                                                                1 Corinthians 15: 35 - 49

As I write this I think of three persons each of whom faced great pain from cancer. I also think about many others who have had to suffer the impairment of bodily functions - kidney failure, respiratory disorders - and those who have had to give care to them. I think about how our basic belief systems are put under test in periods of bodily pain and sickness. I call to mind tens of people who have lost their faith at the heat of sickness.

 We all try to find explanations for why God won't heal us or our loved ones. Why he allows so much pain and suffering. Why he failed to answer our prayers for healing. We all have questions.

 A Groaning Creation

The world is not a perfect place. It is in a fallen state, even our bodies. The fallen state of our world and body means that we feel pain. Our bodies pack up. Paul of Tarsus captures this well in his letter to the Romans; his summary, the whole earth is waiting to be restored to bliss, even our body.

 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope

 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

                                                                                                            Romans 8: 18 - 24.

 Pain In Our Present Bodies

The human body is beautiful, well designed and adorable. It may be considered the most complex biological system, unique in its own rights. The intricate details of its structure and function make up an almost unfathomable body of knowledge called medical science.

Even in its weakest state, the body makes a subject of great intrigue: its structures, processes, and functions being dynamically aligned and synergistic beyond comparison.

 But the human body is weak.

 The depths of pain that come upon the body when her structures are hurt or functions inhibited are great without measure.  A pain best known by the person whose body has gone bad. Many a chemotherapy patient understands.

 The human body knows pain.

A Mix of Beauty and Weakness

So, we find that closely knit with our beautiful bodies are pain and weakness. We cut into our fingers why chopping the vegetables, hammer our hands while driving the nail, Get a sprain why doing sport, or become sick. We know pain, we see weakness.

 Our bodies though beautiful are weak. We grow old, and many functions weaken. We can't run as fast, our heart rate decreases, libido weakens, eyes dim and backs ache. We watch helplessly as our bodies depreciate.

The Promise of A Better Body

We find therefore, the promise of a better body fascinating and encouraging.  A body as beautiful as our present body; yet more beautiful, and without pain and weakness - A heavenly body.

 I can imagine it. I can feel it - a body that does not depreciate. I am excited about my coming body!  A body immortal and perfect!!

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;

 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body...

 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. ..

Hope Amidst Pains

This very promise gives us rest when our bodies come under pain. When cancer eats us up, when our kidneys' fail; we remember that we will soon have our heavenly bodies. We now see pain differently. We can even rejoice and be thankful.

 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, will 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, so that what is mortal will 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.

                                                                                                2 Corinthians 5 : 1 - 8

We endure patiently with trust in our hearts.

Written for Ravi Zacharias, and the mothers of Dami Adegoke and Chikaodili Ukwu.  And for each one of us who have in various ways become aware of the weakness of our present bodies.

Nedu Eze
Akure, May 2020