UBF Daily Bread

WAITING FOR A HEAVENLY DWELLING

Passage: 2_Corinthians 5:1~10

Key verse: 6

Awaiting the New Body

5 For we know that if the earthly^(A) tent^(B) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ²Meanwhile we groan,^(C) longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,^(D) ³because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴For while we are in this tent, we groan^(E) and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,^(F) so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.^(G)

⁶Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷For we live by faith, not by sight.^(H) ⁸We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.^(I) ⁹So we make it our goal to please him,^(J) whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us^(K) for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

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Paul speaks of our earthly body and our future, glorified resurrection body as two different types of dwelling places. The earthly body is just a “tent”: temporary, easily damaged, and not always comfortable. We might groan because of the many pains and inconveniences of living in such a flimsy dwelling. The real difficulty of life in this tent is being away from the Lord. But we can be confident, knowing that we have a permanent home with the Lord waiting for us. In the resurrection, we will not be disembodied but have a new body that is like a glorious permanent home. The Spirit tells us in our inner person that this is what we are made for (5).

Knowing this, we can live with great confidence (6). Since we have a better home, we don’t have to worry too much about our comfort here but can focus on pleasing the Lord. God’s judgment is just, based on what we do with what God has given to us in this life (10).

Prayer: Father, thank you for the promise of an eternal house in heaven. Grant me confident faith so I can live courageously for you in this body.

One Word: Confidently serving the Lord