I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:50-58
When the Spirit of God starts to speak about a ‘mystery’ then be sure it’s greater than we can completely understand at this time. But yet some the message is given to us to bring hope. What is real ‘victory’? Jesus Christ is victory. For He provided the victory and IS our victory. When we so desire to obtain victory in some way it is usually by our own understanding or perimeters rather than by His perspective. We often seek victory …but if you have Christ you already have the victory. Our problem is that we are still living in the ‘perishable’. While we are in this state we should be moving more and more to understand the imperishable which is our ultimate destination. Too many people live for the perishable. When the imperishable holds all the eternal rewards. So many want the present comforts, but that reward is very quick and fleeting, and will eventually become dust and blow away. We should be focusing our efforts in the relationship we have with God. Always striving to deepen our relationship and understanding of Him and with Him. This requires lots of communication, discussion, questions, and being open, vulnerable, and honest with Him. How? By the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit. Learning His Voice within you and how to commune with Him. Have you ever asked Him what He wants you to change in you, that you need to give up, learn, and improve on? He’ll quickly answer those questions. Those are the things He wants to talk to you about. Those answers from Him come quickly to those who truly want to hear from Him. And usually the things He tells us about ourselves are things that are difficult and uncomfortable. He is the master pruner / gardener. He knows what will help us grow and be more fruitful, which means pruning us.
If we could just begin to understand that Jesus IS our victory, our path would become so much easier and rewarding. What did Jesus say?
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30
That means being ‘locked’ in with Jesus to His work, and His ways, and going where He wants to go rather than going where you want to go. Not pulling Him in directions, but yielding to His path. Who do you think knows better? You? Jesus KNOWS the way, shouldn’t we trust Him? There in lies our challenge and test in this life, learning to trust God. Our trust in God will only grow with challenges, tests, and trials. And we will only overcome those by listening to Him and following His advice.
Have you learned to trust Him? To what degree? Has Jesus learned He can trust you? Trust in a relationship goes both ways. You can love someone but not fully trust them. Trust is earned and tested over time. Trust is also given in degrees by knowing the maturity of a person and what they can handle. What can Jesus give you that you can presently handle? Have you learned to rely on His strength? Have you learned to rely on His advice and Voice? Have you learned to obey quickly His counsel and instructions?
Can Jesus trust you enough to suffer and go through pain and still praise Him? We all want the great rewards, but the eternal ones are found in Him and His plan and path for us.
Prayer: Jesus – I surrender to your path today for me. Show me and tell me what way you are going. I promise to stay with you all day as you go about your work. Help me see your work. Teach me. Guide me.