swallowed up by life

I’ve been in a rather negative frame of mind for the past week, which is one reason why I haven’t posted much; I couldn’t think of anything good to say. This morning, I started off writing about making excuses, but I quickly realized that I couldn’t think of a way to bring life to the subject, and I stopped.

Then I remembered verse 4 of 2 Corinthians 5, which I noticed when I was reading the entire chapter for yesterday’s post. Here’s what it says:

For 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.

Ignore the tent and clothing for a moment and focus on that last phrase: so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Selah. Pause and calmly think of that.

I know this passage is talking about eternity, but given what follows in this chapter–that anyone who is in Christ is a new creation–I can’t help but believe that this concept applies now as well as later. Think of it: what is mortal–given to death–is swallowed up by life.

My negative outlook–definitely “deathly”–can be swallowed up by life. This excites me!

Paul uses such a vivid image here, though the picture I imagine is not a giant mouth swallowing something; rather, I see darkness disappear as bright light floods a room. The word translated “swallowed up” is translated “overwhelmed” earlier in the letter, which fits with my picture of light. So I imagine negative attitudes overwhelmed by zoe, the life of God.

This has definitely helped me. What mortal thing do you need to see swallowed up by life?

Tagged as: attitudes, death, life, thoughts