2 Corinthians 5:4
So while we are in this tent, we groan under our burdens, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed, so that our mortality may be swallowed up by life.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 916
Burdens: weighed down, load, oppressed
From the Greek word 'bareó' (pronounced bar-eh'-o).
INWARDLY GROANING
We all carry burdens. That's a different burden than what is meant here. Here the burden we carry as believers is the fact that we long to be with them on the other side of eternity, for this side is cumbersome.
Here we are weighed down by this wretched (Romans 7:24) body of flesh. But O, how we yearn for the eternal presence of God, to see Him face to face and live!
The groans I emit from my body are the result of the life I have lived and now live. But the groans my spirit emits? Romans 8:23 "Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body."
Yes, our souls have been redeemed. But our bodies have not. We have yet to receive our glorified bodies and for that we earnestly groan (sigh inwardly). At death the body is immediately separated from the soul, a fact we should not ignore as this is the way we have been designed. Yet it is Who we lived for here that determines our destination after death.
But here it is the believer who longs to be set free from this body of death and forever be present with the Lord. But until that occurs we are to be ever vigilant in doing the work which God has prepared for each believer to do. Namely, spread the gospel wherever we are and wherever we are sent. Hebrews 4:10-14 reminds us that we have a Sabbath rest coming, a permanent rest in God, after the work is finished.
BODY OF DEATH
When a message is preached, it is given first to the one who will preach it. So, if any stones are cast or fingers are pointed, they are cast and pointed at me. But then Mercy and Grace came to my rescue.
This body of death is mine until death separates me, my soul, from it. Therefore it is mine to take care of that it may continue to be useful in God's kingdom. I may say, I am just a field-hand, just a worker in God's fields, but even a field-hand needs to be able to do the work.
While exercise profits the body little (1 Timothy 4:8), still there is some profit to be had. I've been doing those Sit n Be Fit exercises to keep my body from becoming just an immovable lump of clay. And my body has made the decision for me on what I can and cannot eat.
In 1 Timothy 4:8 Paul is also reminding Timothy that the more important factor is to concentrate on living a godly life, for the godliness we have here we will also have after this life is finished. So, even when our bodies fail us, even when we reach a point in our lives when we are no longer able to do anything in our bodies, we will still have this godly factor drawing us to God.
GOD DEMANDS GODLY PEOPLE
Even now, these wretched bodies of death pursue a holy and living God. A God who forgives sins when we repent, turning away from the ungodly lifestyles we were living and begin to live the life God has prepared for us.
We turn to a God who heals all our diseases by the stripes on His Son's back (Isaiah 53:5). We turn to a God who can relate to things that we go through because in the Person of His Son He went through them, too. Because Christ Jesus is The Word of God who came in the flesh (John 1:14), this makes Him the Living Word of God in whom we, the born again believer, now live and have Him living in us, in our spiritual hearts.
For our physical hearts are in our physical bodies, bodies of death wherein nothing holy can exist, because godliness and ungodliness cannot exist on the same plane. In this cause we groan inwardly. 2 Corinthians 5:8 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
ON THE CROSS
On the cross hung the Living Word of God. Though hate nailed Him to the cross, Love kept Him from leaving the cross. Hate kills; Love heals. Read Isaiah 53 to get a glimpse of our Savior.
On the cross the Son of Man was displayed to all who saw Him. But God saw His Son and the fulfillment of His plan of salvation for all of us. Though God could not look upon His Son after the sins of the whole world (past, present, future) were placed on His Son's shoulders and Christ became sin for us, God left Him. For God is holy and sin cannot stand in God's holy presence.
On the cross the Son of God took on all of our sins, our sorrows, our pains. That we who believe would forever be with Him in glory. That our souls would be saved from eternal condemnation. (John 3:16-18).
On the cross my Savior saved me. Though I have been delivered from an eternal death, the weight of this body of death prevents me from being where I want to be: at my Savior's feet, listening to Him, singing to Him, worshiping Him, gazing lovingly at Him. God made a Way for us to live with Him forever and that Way is through Jesus Christ and Him only (John 14:6). Today is your day to walk, to live, in The Way.
Mercy Came Running - Phillips Craig and Dean
At The Cross - Chris Tomlin
Redeemed - Big Daddy Weave
Belong To You - Here Be Lions
In Christ Alone - Adrienne Liesching, Geoff Moore & The Distance
How Deep The Father's Love For Us - Selah
All I Once Held Dear - Robin Mark
Man of Sorrows - Hillsong
Thank You, Jesus, For The Blood - Charity Gayle
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