“I have often wondered at the unaccountableness of man in this, among other things; that tho’ he loves changes so well, he should care so little to hear or think of his last, great, and best change too, if he pleases.” -William Penn-

My husband often comes home to find the living room furniture rearranged, table toppers changed, floral and tabletop decor relocated, and even pictures switched out and moved around on the walls. He teases me by saying he’ll never be able to walk around the house in the dark for fear of stubbing a toe on a table or chair leg or running into an unidentified, unyielding object that was not in that location previously. In honor and regard for compromise and to see a small smile of peace and contentment on his face, I have yielded one object to be unchanging, immovable, ever abiding in the same location—his recliner. All changes now exclude that chair!

My opening quote from the book written by William Penn is in the “olde” English style of writing and maybe a bit difficult to understand. But as I decipher it, he is saying he wonders how humanity can love the change in all things to do with their lives and actions but have no interest in hearing about or even thinking about the change that occurs at the end of life. That last change can be the greatest and best of all if they choose it to be.

Mr. Penn might be referring to the Apostle Paul’s words about change in I Corinthians 15:42-44. This passage reads:

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.”

Continuing in Verses 50-52:

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God: neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 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.”

We shall all be CHANGED!

For me, the rest of chapter 15 is a praise break to end all praise breaks!

  • Corruptible becomes incorruptible
  • Mortality puts on immortality
  • Death is swallowed up in victory

Pardon me while I dance and worship the Lord with abandon across my living room! With my eyes open, of course. I moved the furniture around the other day.

O, what joy to know and what a hope we have that we will be forever CHANGED one day soon!

And Paul gives us the exclamation point to it all, saying:

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

William Penn, if you were still here, I’d have to tell you, as for me, I want to keep hearing about, thinking about, and, may I add, PREPARING FOR…that LAST, GREAT, and BEST CHANGE!

Author

Joanna is the wife of Carter, mother of two beautiful girls, Elizabeth and Lauren, and MiMi to her grandson, Isaiah Samuel. She is the administrator of The Lost and Found Fellowship – Dept. 99+1 Facebook page

2 Comments

  1. This made me smile…. I used to change furniture etc around too.. one day I had the dining room in the living room /living room in dining room… my husband thought I was crazy…since I had the stroke almost 12 years ago, I can’t move things around as before but I’ve changes my small dining table in 2 different locations in my small condo ….I’m smiling again…
    Thanks for this, memories of healthy days…SMILE God is good…I will be changed bodily here or in the AIR!!! What a day that will be. JESUS we will see…

    • Joanna Moore

      Thank you for sharing your inspiring story! It truly will be wonderful there! Worth every trouble and trial. God Bless!