Sunday, August 29, 2010

Camping

In 2 Corinthians 5:1 we read,
For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Paul describes a man's "earthly house" -- his body -- as a tent. That is, our bodies are temporary dwelling places. When I think of tents, I think of camping. Come with me as we take an imaginary camping trip.

You arrive at the camp ground in mid-afternoon. The first order of business is to arrange the camp site before darkness falls. There is plenty of time and you quickly layout and put up your tent. While you are busy erecting your tent you notice that there is another camper in the next camp site also putting up his tent. You wave, then head off to gather some firewood.

On your way back from getting the firewood you notice that your neighbor is spending more time putting up his tent that you did. He seems to have a bunch of stuff to put into his tent. You don't think much about it and decide you have time for a hike before dinner.

Returning to your camp site an hour later you look up and -- but no, it can't be. Is that guy actually laying sod? What on earth would possess him to do that at a camp site? So, with horrified fascination you settle down in your camp chair to watch this guy. For the next several hours and well into the next day your neighbor works ceaselessly. He installs a lawn (with tiny little sprinkler system), bushes, a tree and a six-foot privacy fence. He also works inside the tent itself, making all sorts of "improvements".

Now you know that this particular camp site does not allow camping for more than three consecutive nights. Why on earth would anyone spend so much money and effort on such a temporary dwelling? Doesn't this man know that he can't keep it? In just a few days he will have to leave. All his work and property will be left behind. What is he thinking?

The illustration is, of course, ridiculous. But the parallel is more sobering. Do we realize that we are living in a very temporary dwelling? Do we know that we can't keep all the stuff we spend so much effort to accumulate? Are we aware that in just a few days we will have to leave our tent and move on?

1 Peter 2:11 describes Christians as "strangers and pilgrims". We are to live in this world, but not be of this world. This world is not our home, we are just passing through.

How do you spend your time? Are you preparing for the journey, looking ahead to your eternal destination, or are you still fixing up the camp site?

--PG

4 comments:

  1. Taken, many may realize, from an invitation I gave a few years back at the church in Cedar Park Texas.

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  2. This is a good reminder and illustration for us...I read a similar one in a book called "Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn.

    It goes something like this: it's near the end of the Civil War, and you are part of the Confederacy. You own lots of confederate dollars and know that they will all become worthless very soon once the Confederacy loses. So, what do you do? Instead of accumulating more confederate dollars and hoard them, you begin trading them in for union currency. You keep as much as you need for day-to-day living expenses, but you don't hold onto very much. You trade in what will become worthless for what will last.

    Similarly, every physical thing we own will go away the instant we die or the instant Christ returns. I must ask myself, "Am I being foolish in accumulating those things that will become worthless? Or, am I wisely realizing the temporary nature of the things of this life?"

    "And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:17)

    "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness...." (2 Pet 3:10-11)

    And of course the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12.

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  3. Thanks, Dad, I think that's a really good illustration. :) And yes, the rich fool does come to mind.

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