The Apostle Paul ended 2 Corinthians 4 by encouraging the Corinthians to focus on the unseen rather than what can be seen. In chapter five, Paul digs deeper into the idea of the unseen—he comforts the believers with an assurance of the resurrection. Paul writes, “For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.” (2 Corinthians 5:4).
Paul cleverly called our earthly bodies tents. Think about tents and how we use them. They are portable shelters, usually composed of flimsy cloth supported by poles and cords. Tents may provide lodging for a short time, yet in general, housing within a tent is meant to be temporary. Under normal circumstances, no one buys a tent to live in it long-term. They may live in a tent for a moment, but they live in it with the intent to return to home.
Our earthly bodies are mere tents. That’s why Paul said we groan within them. Imagine living in a tent for an extended period of time. What if you had to live in a tent outside of your home for 70 years or longer? Imagine how that would make you feel. If you’re optimistic, you’d try to make the most of your tent lodging. But even the most hopeful person would certainly long for home.
God has appointed us to live in these temporary tents. Many of us are called to live in this tents for decades upon decades. Therefore, we long for home. That longing can sometimes cause as to groan as Paul stated. There are some people who may desire to leave their tents due to intense sadness, depression, or grief. These feelings are often found among believers as well. Job longed to no longer live after his tragedies (Job 10), and Jeremiah cursed the day he was born due to the hardship of his calling (Jeremiah 20:14). However, in this text, Paul reminds us that it is normal for believers to long for home even if we are not depressed.
For followers of Christ, we don’t desire death as someone full of hopelessness; rather, we desire home in a sense of hopefulness. Most of us do not wish to leave our loved ones behind until we are well-aged. Many of us want to die old and to live a full life. However, dying old is equivalent to living in a tent for 70+ years. Tent living isn’t ideal. It just isn’t home.
So, know that as a believer, there may be times when you become weary living in these temporary tents. And that weariness may not be associated with depression. You may not be depressed; you may simply be homesick. It’s natural and even expected for sons and daughters to desire to be with their Father. Even those who are not in Christ desire something greater than what is on earth, which is why believers should be the ones to point them to that which is greater.
This is exactly what Paul did. Paul said that he and his fellow laborers in the gospel were ambassadors for Christ. He said it was as though God was pleading through them. God’s desire was made known through Paul and the other apostles, and that desire is and has always been that mankind repent, be made holy, and be restored to him… “We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Verse 19 of this chapter states that God was restoring the world back into himself through Christ. Although we are guilty of countless sins since the fall of Adam, God decided to deem us innocent through Christ. In Christ, we are as Paul states, new creations (v.17) Old things, old habits, old ways of thinking die once we are in Christ. We make way for newness in every aspect of our lives.
As new creations, we understand that we no longer live for ourselves but for God. As Christ’s ambassadors in these temporary tents, we give up our flawed plans for God’s perfect plans. We surrender our will for his, trusting that his plans for us are not to harm us, but to give us hope and a future.
And so, although we may groan in our bodily tents, we have the Holy Spirit which works as a guarantee for the better home to come. It is such an odd yet beautiful phenomenon that we can be slowly passing away in these temporary tents yet be renewed day by day by God’s mercy and grace.
We are all longing for a better home. Often, we confuse our desire for home with other desires. We may want a spouse, children, a physical home, or a fantastic career. Others may desire good health, restored relationships, or fancy vacations. Yet, imagine having all that you desire. Imagine having everything you could ever want … but you have it while living in a tent.
No possession we have on this side will ever satisfy us because we are living in tents. Being away from our Father will always leave us feeling somewhat dissatisfied. That is why Jesus is our only hope. That is why we long for communion with him on earth, and long to be with him after this life. Jesus is our only way to receive satisfaction, rather in these tents or out of them.
The longing that we all feel will remain and is only eased when we are filled with the Bread and Living Water that is Christ. Yet, even with filling our spirits with him on earth, we still groan within to be in a better home with him and God our Father. So until that day, as often as we can, we should pursue closeness with the One whom we plan to live with forever. We should allow God to live in us until we can live with him. Praise the Lord that for those who have been restored to God through Christ, we will one day exchange these tents for mansions in the sky. Our longing for a better home will be fulfilled and our groaning for more will end.
That day is coming. Let us all prepare for a better home. May this message bless you, and may God keep you.
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Have a blessed day!
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