Wednesday's Word - Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation

Have you seen the new AT&T commercial? The one that comes on with Gene Wilder singing “Pure Imagination” from the first “Willy Wonka” movie? I actually think they’ve done a pretty good job recalling the wonder of being 5 years old. Can you think back to when you were 5 and anything was possible? Sunshine wasn’t just sunshine, it was SUNSHINE!!!! And scraped knees were met with such tender love and care. So what happened? Is sunshine less special? And I scarcely can remember how I got a few of the scars I have. I think the Bible sheds a clear understanding of exactly what happens.
Here’s The Word:
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Not that childishness, or rather, child-likeness is something to be shunned or looked down upon. I believe that it should be embraced and enjoyed to the fullest. But we also realize that it’s temporary just like much of this life. Maturing is simply part of an awakening process. There is another process that Christians experience at the moment of conversion. It’s not much of a physical transformation like growing up, as it is Spiritual where we cross over from death to life (John 5:24). In this process we find ourselves awakened to the real spiritual impact of our sin, and the great love shown in that Christ has took our punishment for us. Spiritual grief (or scars) comes when I disregard God’s direction or allow the old ways to control my actions.
The common thread between these two: maturing to adulthood, and becoming a Christian, is that they both happen to me in this same body: A body that’s destined for dust….or so it would seem.
There’s another awakening process that I’m wholly looking forward to that will be the exception. We call it translation; The idea is embodied in the following Scripture:
Here’s the Word:
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
In the translation, we enter the eternal state, where I will know as I am known (1 Cor 13:12)….fully. And all of this temporary stuff will be left behind. No more scars, no more sufferings and tears. Nope! All that will be lost in translation.