How are the dead raised

 My little cousin Jone Franco passed away in January of 2012. I looked at my calendar today at work, and it was September 3, 2013 her birthday.  She would have turned 59 years old today. I couldn’t hold back my tears. Mostly I am ashamed of myself for not trying to stay in closer contact with her when she was alive.

I think it is human nature to feel like we have all the time in the world.  We feel we have plenty of time to get close to family members or to get close to God.  We have all the time in the world it seems until the things we love are taken from us.  Unfortunately then it’s too late.  My uncle Vernon told me once, after my aunt, his wife passed away, that you never realize what you have until it gone.  I say this to my shame.  My best friend when I was young is now gone.  I know I’ll never get to see her again on this earth, and that breaks my heart continually.

God does comfort me with his word that lets me know I will see her again. Jone believed God, and was planted firmly in faith of Jesus Christ our Lord.  God does reward those that love him with eternal life.  If you haven’t made your commitment yet, please do so now.  Time goes by faster than we think, and the end is near.

I Corinthians 15: 33      33) Be not deceived:  evil communications (company) corrupt good manners (habits).  34) Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.  35) But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?  36) Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened (made alive), except it die:  37)  And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but mere grain, perhaps wheat or of some other grain:  38) But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.  39) All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.  40) There are also celestial (heavenly) bodies, and bodies terrestrial (earthly): but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41) There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.  42) So also is the resurrection of the dead.  It is sown in corruption; and it is raised in incorruption:  43) It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.  44) It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.  There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

I have been blessed to have known Christ for as long as I can remember.  I grew up loving him. My life has not always reflected that love unfortunately.  My Christian walk has been like a yo-yo.  I’d spend a few years inseparable from Christ, then a few years far away from him.  I could always tell that Christ was never far away, and that always comforted me.  I know I don’t deserve the constant love he has always shown me.  I have now dedicated the remainder of my life to him.  Life doesn’t let us go back and do things differently.  We have to start where we are and let Christ do the rest.