by Beth Fore
“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 NIV)
My Heavenly Dwelling
This earthly tent is temporary, God,
and I’ll live in it for a short time;
until You clothe me in Your righteousness,
then my dwelling place will be sublime.
My physical body groans and moans
for it is burdened with many cares,
but my spirit is clothed in joy and peace
because of the nail prints my Savior bears.
God, You made me for this purpose,
to live by faith and not walk by sight.
You’ve given me Your Holy Spirit
to guide my way with Your perfect light.
I desire to leave this earthly realm
and dismantle this mortal body behind.
I’m excited to go home with You, God,
to enjoy the blessings I know will be mine.
My goal in life is to please You, God,
and to be clothed in Your heavenly place.
I know I will appear at Your judgment seat
and be judged by Your mercy and grace.
This earthly tent is temporary, God,
and I’ll live in it for a very short time;
until You clothe me in Your righteousness,
then my dwelling place will be sublime.
by Beth Fore
*As Christians, we know that our earthly bodies are only temporary dwelling places for our spirits. Our spirits within us long to leave this earth and go to our heavenly dwelling.
“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.” (2 Corinthians 5:1 NIV)
Human beings are composed of body, mind, heart, soul, and spirit. Our body and mind were made for this earth, but our heart, soul, and spirit were made for heaven. While we live in our earthly bodies, we will suffer, feel pain, and be restricted by the condition of our bodies. We will also desire to be united with our creator, and we will moan and groan until we become one with our God.
We know that this world is only a temporary place for us to live. One day, God will get rid of this earth, and He will give us a new heaven and a new earth. Our purpose on this earth is not to accumulate everything we can, spend our time pursuing pleasures of the flesh, and making our primary goal in life to please ourselves! No, our primary purpose in life is to submit ourselves to God’s will, willingly trust and obey him, and love, honor, and praise him above all things!
*God has prepared an eternal house in heaven for his children, and He has given us his Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
It’s exciting to know that God has already prepared an eternal house for us. We all like brand new homes, and it is exciting to know that God has already built one for each of us, unique to our own tastes, and far more beautiful and magnificent than we can imagine!
When Jesus ascended into heaven, he had told the apostles that He would be sending the
Holy Spirit to dwell within them. The Spirit would lead them into all truth, comfort them, empower them, and lead them to the people and places God wanted them to go. The Spirit also reminds us that Christ has already won the victory over death, so we are also victorious over death. He also reminds us that God has made many promises to us, and He will be faithful to keep all of them. This includes the promise of salvation to those who believe and obey him and the promise of spending eternity in heaven with him.
APPLICATIONS
- Most people live lives of dissatisfaction. They achieve a goal and that doesn’t satisfy them. Then they set other goals and reach them, yet they are still dissatisfied. Why do you think achieving earthly goals leaves people dissatisfied?
- It seems that our bodies and spirits are in frequent conflict. Why do you think this is true? How can we make them more harmonious?
- If you are a Christian, do you understand that the Holy Spirit of God lives in your heart? What does this mean to you?
- What do you consider to be your greatest goals in this life? What do you think God’s goals are for your life? Are they the same?
If you want to learn more about what it means to be a Christian or to become a Christian, click this link: https://woww.newlifebehavior.org/what-it-means-to-follow-jesus-how-to-become-a-christian/
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