A new body

Years ago, I heard a story about a man looking for flowers for spring planting. At the greenhouse he came across a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. To his surprise, it was hidden in a corner and growing in an old, dented rusty bucket.

"If this were my flower," he said to himself, "I would place it in a beautiful pot and display it proudly! Why is it confined in this old bucket and hidden away in this concealed place?"

When he remarked to the owner about the flower, she explained, "Oh, I started the plant in that old bucket until it blossomed. But it’s just for a short time. Soon I’ll transplant it to my garden."

The man laughed, and imagined such a scene in heaven. "There’s a beautiful one," God will say, "the product of My lovingkindness and grace. Now it’s confined in a broken body and in obscurity, but soon, in My garden, how tall and lovely this soul will stand!"

So we may now be "planted" in bent and battered containers for a short time while our Lord beautifies our souls. But, "as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man" (1 Cor. 15:49). Then He will display His handiwork and our loveliness for all to see. This is our assurance and delight. — David H. Roper

- story taken from ODB Website -

As I read this passage, I was reminded of the clients that I meet day to day. I'm thinking what a joy it would be for them to have this assurance that one day they will be having a new body that is so much better than their current one. Imagine that for the first time in their life they can walk, for the first time they do not need mobility aids, or they have their full sets of limbs again. I can imagine that scene would be so beautiful!

But even now, some of these people are the most beautiful people on earth, beautiful because despite their physical defects, they have such a lovely spirit which is often much more wholesome and beautiful than people who looks perfect on the outside.

Sometimes I think these people who looks imperfect on the outside bears much more resemblence to the image of our Father than us who are able-bodied. Perhaps not having what normal people often take for granted has caused them to be able to focus on what matters more eternally.

Sometimes I think we have so much to learn from them. Thank God for putting me here to work with them. From them, I learn to be contented with just being healthy, and grateful for being able to move independently without any aids. I also learn resilience, that no matter how hard the situation is, we have been designed by God to be overcomers. But not by our own strength...it's much easier to gain victory if our hopes are placed on God.

I pray that all my clients will know about God and acknowledge Him as Lord and Saviour, and be filled with joy and anticipation for the new body promised to them in Gloryland!