May 23 -- "Beyond the Grave—Like Angels, Yet More"

Today's Reading:  Luke 20:27-47

This world feels fragile. We ache, we age, we attend funerals. But Jesus reminds us that for believers, an eternal chapter lies just ahead—one where death doesn’t get the last word. In todays verse from Luke 20, Jesus answers a question about the resurrection and unveils a breathtaking reality: in the age to come, His followers will never again face these earthly limitations. Those who belong to God aren’t just believers—they are children of the resurrection, destined to live forever in His presence. With this truth, Jesus shifts our perspective, assuring us that death is not the end of the story.

The Sadducees, who denied the supernatural and the afterlife, tried to trap Jesus with a question about marriage in the resurrection, but He turned the tables. He revealed that eternal life isn’t bound by the same constraints as earthly life. When He declared, They cannot die anymore, He wasn’t just giving facts—He was making a glorious promise! In Heaven, time won’t wear us down. Grief and pain will vanish. Death will be no more. In the resurrection, we won’t just survive—we’ll be like angels: forever alive, forever God's. Thats not wishful thinking, its a solid promise from the very lips of Jesus.

Now, some mistake this to mean we’ll "become" angels. But we won’t—we will be equal to angels in certain ways: glorified, no more pain, no longer dying, and no longer marrying. Yet we remain distinctly human. Angels are unique spiritual beings created to serve God. We, on the other hand, are redeemed, made in God's image, and adopted as His children through Christ.

In eternity, we become the perfected version of what God always intended us to be. “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20-21) Our body will be powerful and glorious: “...it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.” (1Corinthians 15:43) No more sickness, pain, aging, fatigue, or limitations. Our heavenly bodies will be full of strength, radiant, and fit for eternity.

This promise transforms how we see our present struggles. Yes, we experience pain and loss now, but these won’t follow us into eternity. The certainty of eternal life gives us courage to face trials with peace and hope, keeping our eyes on Jesus. Live today with eternity in your heart.

Let the promise of resurrection fuel your faith. Face each challenge knowing its temporary, while the life Jesus offers is eternal. May the Lord anchor your soul in His unfailing promise and fill you with peace as you look beyond the grave to the glories of eternity. May the truth that you will be alive forevermore sink deeply into your soul. AMEN!