Verse: Philippians 3:20-4:1 (ESV)
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Devotion
Can anybody else remember an elementary or middle school English teacher telling you, “Never start a sentence with the word ‘But'”? We were lied to! While that instruction had a certain purpose, what it didn’t allow for was the power of using “But” to perform a complete about-face. To say “In contrast to what I’ve just told you, here is the other side of the story”, all in three little letters.
Paul contrasts for us the behavior of walking as “enemies of the cross of Christ” by reminding us that “our citizenship is in heaven”. Literally, it is where we call home, where we belong, where we will one day reside. What an awesome and certain promise! And the promise continues:
– we await our Savior, Jesus
– he will transform our lowly body
– he can do so because of his power
I’m struck by the ESV using the singular ‘body’ (other translations are plural) and I can’t help but think of it in reference to the church being called the body of Christ. Certainly, a body made up of sinful people could be considered ‘lowly’, right? But one day, not only will our physical bodies be transformed, so will the church itself. Our relationships with one another will be perfected, and we will truly represent Christ.
As he so often does, Paul reminds those he’s writing to of his love for them, their importance to him, and his desire that they “stand firm” in the Gospel truths he has just shared with them. Let’s remember that he’s also writing to us!
Prayer
God, thank you that you have called me a citizen of heaven and promised that one day my sinful, broken body will be made perfect, like Christ! Help me to stand firm in this hope, and to let others see it in me. Amen.
Author:Dave MacDonald
Recent Comments