2 Corinthians 5:1-10

 1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building
from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile
we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we
are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan
and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with
our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now
it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a
deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
 6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in
the body we are away from the Lord. 7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are
confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the
Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body
or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body,
whether good or bad.

MEDITATION
1. Courage to endure the radical call of the Christian claim on our lives comes
from the belief that the eventual reward will outweigh the temporary suffering
we incur by challenging the world’s values as Jesus and Paul did.  When our
valiant struggle for God’s better way goes unappreciated and misunderstood,
we have the hope of the Emmanuel God—God with us—utter delight at
being in the divine presence.  But we also have the happiness of experiencing
our own growth into the splendour of divine wisdom, so that our groaning
here for the redemption of our bodies is not without reward in its own right.
2. Which do I spend more time preparing and thinking, my earthly tent (body)
or my heavenly dwelling?  If I only spend several decades in my earthly tent,
but millions of years in heaven, which one should I devote more thoughts
and energy on?

Personal Note:
The relationship between heaven and earth is like a building and a tent.  There is a group of native up north in our province that lives in tents and without adequate supplies.  It is sad to see people living in such terrible conditions.  Everyone longed to live in a comfortable home.  It would make no sense for the native people to rejoice and spend all their time thinking about how wonderful their tents are.  They are petitioning to have housing projects so they can stay warm and be comfortable in the winter.

In the similar manner,  we do not rejoice and focus on our earth tent (body), but rather we spend more time and energy focusing in heaven.  Yes, our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, but we do not worry about it as God knows and will take care of our needs.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one
body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form
one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one
Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the
body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear
should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for
that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where
would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the
sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one
of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would
the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to
the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem
to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable
we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with
special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But
God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25
so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal
concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part
is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Meditation
1. Paul used the image of the body to explain our relation to one another.  We’re
all parts of the body of Christ.  Whoever you are or whatever your spiritual
gifts are, you are “indispensable” (v22) to the others in your church, and in
the church.
2. What is my reaction when some other Christian gets recognition and honour?
Or when someone is suffering?  Do I rejoice with those who rejoice, weep
with those who weep (Rm 12:15)? Or am I jealous of those who rejoice and
apathetic to the weeping?

Personal Note:
Everyone who has received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and saviour is part of the body of Christ.  Each believer is gifted differently according to God's grace.  When other Christians rejoices, we rejoices with them.  When other Christians suffer, we weep and suffer with them.