Camping is nice, but it’s never like home.
Growing up, I didn’t go camping much, maybe once or twice. Oh sure, us kids played tent in the dining room a few times; draping an old sheet over the table.
I camped a couple of nights in Rocky Mountain National Park, up around Manitou Lake, when I was a teenager. From our tent we had a gorgeous view of Pikes Peak’s north slope.
Camping is nice, but compared with a place called home, there’s no way it can measure up.
You see, camping is at most temporal. No matter great the tent is, it isn’t designed to last forever. The material eventually wears out, begins to leak, and must be discarded.
When that happens, the resident must move out.
And go home.
“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (2 Corinthians 5:1 ESV)
The Apostle Paul referred to our human body as a tent. Just an outward shell, a temporary house. Not the forever one everyone gets someday.
Man is a three part being; spirit, soul, and body. Our spirit and soul are the eternal parts, while the body is the temporal.
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 – 5:24 ESV)
God’s plan, as demonstrated through His Son Jesus’ death and resurrection, is for you and I to make the most of our “camping experience”, by learning to hear His voice, trusting Him explicitly, and obeying Him unreservedly.
In other words, allowing Jesus His rightful place as Lord of our life.
That way, when the tent finally “gives up the ghost”, and mortality yields to immortality, our final home will be Heaven.
However, without Jesus’ Lordship and righteousness, the best a person can hope for is to keep patching the tent for as long as possible.
But may I remind you, your tent will not last as long as you (spirit and soul) will.
When you finally leave the tent, there will be a momentary visit to Heaven, but it won’t be home.
It will be an appearance before the Judge of the Universe,
Jesus.
So, let’s review a few certainties:
1. Your tent won’t last forever, but you will.
2. You will have a face to face encounter with Jesus; on His terms, not yours.
3. You will go to Heaven sometime after you die; for a brief visit, or as a permanent resident.
4. As only a visitor, you will be judged for your sin, with the penalty being eternity in hell.
5. As a resident, you’ve already been judged for sin, but the Blood of the Judge was shed in your place. Faith in Him has brought a not guilty verdict from the Judge.
Therefore, how’s your tent? Are you ready to move in to your permanent home? Do you know where it will be?
I hope so.
If not, let’s talk about it.
Jan Grace 