25 Sep October 25th Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

AN ETERNAL HOUSE

2 Corinthians 5:1 “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.”

The carefully chosen words found here in today’s devotional verse provide a comforting message.  St. Paul is writing concerning your “now” and “not yet.”  Now, He says you live in a tent.  In the future God has waiting for you a building He has built for you which will be your eternal house.

When you think about St. Paul writing that you currently live in a tent, he is wrong.  A tent is a very temporary place reserved for weekend camping or at best a week or two of vacation.  It is meant to protect you from rain and provide some privacy at night.  It is not something in which you want to live for a long period of time.

This is exactly Paul’s point.  Your earthly, physical body is like a tent.  It is temporary.  You may not think of it in this way because you will most likely live in your earthly body for many decades, but you know that a time is coming when your earthly body will no longer exist.  When you die it will in some way be turned to dust and be no more.  Your earthly body is a temporary place of residence for your soul.

You have, St. Paul says, “a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” (2 Corinthians 5:1)  Jesus, Himself, has promised this to you, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3)  And, Jesus tells you how you will go to live in this place He has prepared for you, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

When Job was confronted with his mortality, that his earthly life would one day come to an end, he said, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.  And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27)

Through the resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning you have the assurance that through Him you have an eternal home awaiting you.  As Jesus said to Martha so it is true for you, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;  and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

Prayer:  Thank You Jesus for preparing my eternal residence.  Amen.

Jerusalem, O city fair and high, Your tow’rs I yearn to see;

My longing heart to You would gladly fly, It will not stay with me.

Elijah’s chariot take me Above the lower skies,

To heaven’s bliss awake me, Released from earthly ties.

O happy day, O yet far happier hour, When will you come at last,

When by my gracious Father’s love and pow’r I see that portal vast?

From heaven’s shining regions To greet me gladly come

Your blessed angel legions To bid me welcome home.

The patriach’s and prophets’ noble train,

With all Christ foll’wers true,

Who washed their robes and cleansed sin’s guilty stain,

Sing praises ever new! I see them shine forever,

Resplendent as the sun, In light diminished never,

Their glorious freedom won.

Unnumbered choirs before the shining throne

Their joyful anthems raise Till heaven’s arches echo with the tone

Of that great hymn of praise.  And all its host rejoices,

And all its blessed throne Unite their myriad voices

In one eternal song.

(LSB 674)