An Old Tent
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 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. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5
Before I had kids, I had no idea how many aches and pains my body could sustain and still function. I thought I knew how it feels to have my body just kindof, crap out on me before I had kids. Well, now having kids, and lacking the sleep I need to properly function, I have a much better idea of what being burdened in the flesh is.
And, boy. Do I now know groaning because of this body. After all, we recently had the stomach flu. And there might not be anything quite like having the stomach flu in the middle of the night while simultaneously trying to take care of your nursing baby.
This earthly tent is full of decay, even though I'm not "old" by any stretch of the imagination.
So, it's good to remember, at times like these, when pain is causing me to groan, that there will be a time when the mortal will be swallowed up by life. God's promised that to believers. And, sometimes, during a worship service or prayer or even some hard-core Bible studying, the Deposit guaranteeing what is to come has given me a taste of the eternal.
What a paradox we Christians are here on this earth. And God who made us like this on purpose. So, I will leave this rambling post with the following encouragement, if you find yourself currently groaning to be clothed with the heavenly dwelling: do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Before I had kids, I had no idea how many aches and pains my body could sustain and still function. I thought I knew how it feels to have my body just kindof, crap out on me before I had kids. Well, now having kids, and lacking the sleep I need to properly function, I have a much better idea of what being burdened in the flesh is.
And, boy. Do I now know groaning because of this body. After all, we recently had the stomach flu. And there might not be anything quite like having the stomach flu in the middle of the night while simultaneously trying to take care of your nursing baby.
This earthly tent is full of decay, even though I'm not "old" by any stretch of the imagination.
So, it's good to remember, at times like these, when pain is causing me to groan, that there will be a time when the mortal will be swallowed up by life. God's promised that to believers. And, sometimes, during a worship service or prayer or even some hard-core Bible studying, the Deposit guaranteeing what is to come has given me a taste of the eternal.
What a paradox we Christians are here on this earth. And God who made us like this on purpose. So, I will leave this rambling post with the following encouragement, if you find yourself currently groaning to be clothed with the heavenly dwelling: do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
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