Present with the Lord

 

 

“Absent from the body

And present with the Lord”

What does it mean

In the context of God’s word?

 

Maybe we read in too much

Maybe we read too little,

Perhaps we should take it as it is:

Every jot and tittle.

 

What was Paul saying

Regarding this sentiment?

We need to check its context

To see the apostle’s intent.

 

Death is no big deal

If you have the blessed hope,

In the midst of this life’s strife

The born-again will cope.

 

Two bodies are in perspective:

One present and one future

And if we read from verse 1

We get a better picture.

 

That picture is better framed

In 2^nd Corinthians 5:

Two bodies are highlighted:

And in both we are alive.

 

 

In the very first verse

Both bodies are mentioned

And throughout these ten verses

Paul paints the comparison.

 

The body we now possess

Paul calls our earthly house

And this tabernacle is put off

When we can no longer rouse.

 

The sleep of death is upon us;

We are naked, Paul says,

Our tabernacle will begin to dissolve

From our dying day.

 

In this tabernacle we groan

Desiring to be better clothed

For in this life we are burdened

With life’s heavy load.

 

 

Paul did not long to be naked

As in physical death

But for something far better:

To wit: his eternal rest.

 

This assurance is borne out

In the word confident as used:

You can check verse 8

If you so choose.

 

This assurance is given

In the earnest of the Spirit

That indwells the born-again believer

Establishing God’s divine edict.

 

While at home in the body

We are absent from the Lord

Hence, walking by faith and not by sight

Shows confidence in the Word.

 

When the believer wakes up

What is the first thing he will see?

His new house in the heavens

For all eternity.

 

Of course, some believe

This is immediately on dying

But given the overall picture,

That one I am not buying.

 

 

However, as we grapple with this

We need never fall out

For the fact regarding a new body

Can never be in doubt.

 

Our timing is in question

Not the validity of God’s plan

And he will bring it to pass

By His Almighty hand.

Whether it be immediate

Or whenever the Lord returns,

There is nothing wrong right now

If after it we yearn.

 

We’ll have a new body

Praise the Lord!

We’ll have a new home.

 

Stewart Russell © May 16, 2021

 

Absent from the Body

I have an appointment with death

That is if Jesus my Lord should tarry

But whether I die or whether I live

It is to him I will be surely married.

As a member of his Bride, the Church

I am one of the precious redeemed,

Born again and cleansed from my sin

By Jesus I am very highly esteemed.

A lamb of his flock, a sheep of his fold

I have been on his shoulder laid,

A sinner redeemed by his precious blood

The ultimate price for me he paid.

One day I will die if he should tarry

And a funeral service will be planned,

Several will be there in attendance

But they will not see this man.

You can call it a boycott if you will

But I have no plans to be there,

I will not be interred in any stuffy grave

So my friends of that be aware.

No, I’m no different from anyone else

But I dare to believe God’s word,

At death I will be absent from my body

And only my body will be interred.

While we are at home in the body

We are absent from the Lord,

Check out 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 6

Read it for yourself in God’s Word.

It therefore logically follows

That in death we have left our body,

Something goes to be with the Lord

Since it’s only the body that’s buried.

Let’s look again at 2 Corinthians 5

And I draw your attention to verse 8,

Absent from the body present with the Lord

This cannot be a mistake.

I may not fully understand this

But there are conclusions I can make,

We leave our body, that’s clear to me

At death some kind of flight we take.

We are absent from the body

The Apostle Paul makes that very clear,

Hence I will not be at my funeral

So do not look for me there.

It will be my body there reposing

It will not be me, I must add,

At the instance of death I will have left

It’s your problem if you think I am mad.

Surely I will be absent from my body

And therefore present with the Lord,

But what all of that really entails

I am not so sure from the Word.

I would like to leave this in my will:

No long funeral service please desist,

In any case I will not be there

So please grant me my request.

Stewart Russell © January 2019