The last few days we have been doing quite a bit of “camper assistance”. Things get forgotten at home, repairs need to be made, and we are always willing to lend a helping hand.
When our kids were younger, we did quite a bit of camping. It was relaxing, fun and inexpensive. We tent camped. It was a nice tent and as comfortable as a tent could be but still it was a tent.
I had my camping boxes that went on every trip. Each box had all the necessities prepacked. The only thing we really needed to think about was filling the ice chest with the refrigerated food and drinks. We could be ready to go in less than an hour’s time.
We had some fun times; oh, we had the soggy ones too. First time out in the new tent we had forgotten to seal the seams, we had as much rain in the tent as out. Then the adventures of wild animals, canoe trips, floating the river and the one time we brought everything but the tent. I know…but it happened.
No matter how much fun we had and how beautiful the camp site was it always nice to come home. A comfortable bed, dry clothes, and a warm shower. Awwww.
Did you know tent camping is in the Bible? The Apostle Paul wrote about it.
“We know that our body—the tent we live in here on earth—will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a home for us to live in. It will not be the kind of home people build here. It will be a home in heaven that will continue forever. 2 But now we are tired of this body. We want God to give us our heavenly home. 3 It will clothe us and we will not be naked. 4 While we live in this tent, we have burdens and so we complain. I don’t mean that we want to remove this tent, but we want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then this body that dies will be covered with life. 5 This is what God himself made us for. And he has given us the Spirit as the first payment to guarantee the life to come.
6 So we always have confidence. We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by what we believe will happen, not by what we can see. 8 So I say that we have confidence. And we really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord. 9 Our only goal is to always please the Lord, whether we are living here in this body or there with him.” II Corinthians 5:1-9 ERV
Life on this earth is like camping in a tent. It’s an adventure but not as comfortable as Home.
Going home is something to look forward too with great anticipation. But while we’re in this tent we need to enjoy our surroundings, not complain and make the most of it. Afterall, we have God’s promise of an abundant life.