When My Wife Dies, Will I Hear Her Voice Again?
May/17/2024 09:21 AM Filed in: CrossWinds
For a man in our church, life is hard. His wife battles a debilitating disease that is slowly taking her life. Every day, he travels to the nursing home, where he feeds her because the disease has robbed her of the dexterity to feed herself. With each bite, he remembers happier days they enjoyed together. There were vacations with their children. Sometimes, they held hands on the porch as they watched the sunset. Those are distant memories today, but they leave a warm feeling in his heart whenever they come to mind. A moment later, reality smacks him in the face. There is still meatloaf on her plate. He picks up the fork and offers another bite. Someday, this will be over. She will die. Her spirit will be with Jesus, but what about her body that goes to the grave? Will he ever hear her sweet voice again?
As Christians, we know the great promise of God that comes from faith in Jesus. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and all who place their faith in Jesus have their sins forgiven. The Bible promises that after death, Christians will be in heaven with Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:23 both tell us that for a Christian, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, which is far better.
While we are confident that, for Christians, death is better than life, there is still a sense of defeat. Our bodies go in the grave. Being reduced to spirits feels incomplete. Sin appears to have won a victory by destroying our bodies. There is a longing to hold the hands of a person we love, to hear their voice, to feel the warmth of their breath, and touch their arm. We long for embodied relationships, not just spiritual ones.
The good news is that, according to the Bible, embodied relationships will one day be restored for Christians.
When Jesus rose from the dead, the Bible tells us his resurrection body was a prototype. 1 Corinthians 15:23 tells us Jesus’ resurrection body was the first body to be raised from the grave, but it will not be the last. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 tells us one day, Jesus will return. When he does, he will bring with him the spirits of all deceased Christians from history. Jesus will then raise their dead bodies and transform them into resurrection bodies, just like his own. All who are alive when Jesus returns will also have their living bodies transformed into resurrection bodies to be like Jesus.
Resurrection bodies are real bodies, just like Jesus’ body was real after he rose. They can be touched. They look like we look. They can eat (Jesus ate and drank in his resurrection body), but resurrection bodies never get sick, old, weak, or die. They are known for life and vitality. They are immune to death.
In addition, 2 Thessalonians 2:1 calls Jesus’ return the great gathering of God’s people. That means Christians won’t just get their bodies back when Jesus returns, but the day of Jesus’ return will be a day of reunion. We will be reunited with our deceased loved ones in the flesh of their resurrection bodies. We will have a chance to hear our spouse’s voice again. We will have the privilege of holding their hand again. We will feel the warmth of a hug from those we love.
Imagine what a great day that will be! As Christians, we look forward not just to being with Jesus, which is better than life, but also to getting our bodies back. Our bodies will last forever because they will be transformed into resurrection bodies, just like Jesus’ body. What a glorious day that will be!
Just three more bites of meatloaf will finish the meal. Her appetite and strength are dwindling. One day, her last bite of food will be followed by her last breath. Praise God that when that happens, she will be with Jesus. Her absence will be devastating, but when Jesus returns, her body will be restored. He will be able to stare into her eyes again and see the smile he loves. He will hear her gentle voice. On that day, both of them will be filled with gratitude to Jesus, not just for forgiving their sins and saving their souls but for restoring their bodies and letting them hold hands forever.
(Written for the Dickinson County News May 17, 2024)
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