Eternal Lessons From a Weekend Of Camping

Have you ever been camping? There is nothing like the great outdoors, listening to the peaceful sound of the crickets and tree frogs, and looking up at the stars at night. But after a couple of days in the wild, and sleeping on a leaking air mattress, and not having access to a shower in two days, I just couldn’t wait to get home to get a shower, some, air-conditioning, and to sleep in my comfortable bed. Paul refers to our bodies as being earthly tents, a temporary location, just like our tents when we are camping. But our eternal home, where we came from, is in heaven.

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Scripture:
“Therefore we are always confident to know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 5:6

Observation/Application:
Our eternal home in heaven is so much nicer than our temporary home here on earth. We know what our home is like on earth. But the home that awaits us in heaven is so much more glorious, beyond compare. We will have our new heavenly body, that is way better than this one because we all know that time and gravity are rough on the body! And just like we might enjoy our time away while camping, we are in a much better place when we are at home with the Lord. We are not at home here on earth. We are tourists. And just as we would honor our mother and father on earth, we should honor our Father in heaven all the more. Paul says that “we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” – (2 Corinthians 5:9)

Why honor God? Because He is our Father. He gave us life. The gives us the very air that we breathe. And because He loves us. God knows that we cannot see Him with our earthly bodies. So He sent His Son Jesus Christ to show us the way home, the way back to Him. He lit the path to our heavenly homes. And Jesus dies for us all, so that our sins would be reconciled and so that nothing would keep us from His great love for us. He died for a sinner like me. He died for you. He became sin for us. And when he died, we as sinners died and now are no longer separated from God. We are a new creation, God’s children of a royal priesthood with an eternal inheritance.

What amazing news that we are reconciled and made new through Jesus Christ! What an honor and privilege! But with this knowledge comes great responsibility. The ministry we’ve been given to turn hearts toward God is urgent and it is vital. It is truly a matter of life and death. It’s like having knowledge of the cure for cancer. It is something that we must share. What kind of friend would you be if you sat and watched your friend die of cancer and never share the cure with them? That is exactly what we have going on here. This is a life and death situation. Friends don’t let friends go to hell. Jesus paid the price for our reconciliation because God loves us. We must share this message, help share the good news of Christ Jesus and God’s love.

#Heaven-Is-For-Real-Tell-The-World

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this Word. Compel me to want to share the great news of Jesus Christ and your love for us. Help me to share this message of life and death. Help me to not let my friends go to hell. Fill me with wisdom to know what to say, the courage to speak, and the discernment to know when to speak and when to listen. Give me peace and confidence. Help me to be bold in your Presence, as I humbly serve You. Help me to walk in love, and to let our lives reflect this message and your goodness. We give you all the honor and glory and praise, in Jesus mighty name. Amen. 

Today’s full reading: Ruth 1,2; Psalm 53,61; 2 Corinthians 5

Scripture References From Today’s Reflection:

• “For 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)
• “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.” – (2 Corinthians 5:19)
• “Be reconciled to God” – (2 Corinthians 5:20)
• “We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.” – (2 Corinthians 5:12)
• “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” – (2 Corinthians 5:14)
• “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us”, – (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” – (1 Peter 2:9)
• “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – (John 3:16)

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