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. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 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 5:1-4)

Desiring Immortality

Jeremy Taylor wrote, “God hath given to man a short time here upon earth, and yet upon this short time eternity depends.” The Holy Spirit describes life as a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away. Methusaleh lived to be 969 years of age, but he died like all men. Life is a brief moment in the eternal pattern established by God for man’s habitation to dwell. In youth, time seems endless, but in old age, time is fleeting. The body begins with vibrance and vitality, maturing into adulthood and the prime of life. The years of youth are transient as they quickly turn into middle age, knocking on the door of old age. There is very little for life to hold on to. The body is wracked with disease and aging. Challenges abound. The joy of youth diminishes. Life ends.

Everything in life must be viewed from the reality of what life is. Death is a certainty that everyone wants to pretend is not a certainty. It is a futile exercise to maintain youth. The power of aging is greater than the youth hormone, and everyone ages to the appointment of death. No one escapes the finality of death. People look forward to retirement and then discover how close retirement is to the final act of life. Throughout the scriptures, God demonstrates to the world the futility of ignoring the inevitable consequences of sin. Jesus did not take away death. He took away the sting of death and the victory of Hades. Death is not conquered fully until the final judgment when God casts death and Hades into the lake of fire and brimstone.

Understanding the brevity of life and the certainty of eternity changes and challenges the mind to consider how to live. Instead of desiring to live more in this life, the soul turns to a desire to embrace immortality. Paul describes the body as a tent, something temporary. A tent is not a building with its firm foundation and strong walls. The tent serves a purpose but is not permanent. For the child of God, death is nothing more than an open door inviting one to bask in the eternal glory of God. Living in the tent of flesh is a burdensome and toilsome journey. For the Christian, the desire to be clothed with the garments from heaven is the heart’s greatest desire.

Life can be hard. It can be filled with trouble. For the child of God, there is a strong desire to experience death to experience life. There is nothing to fear about death. The dying process may challenge the mind, but the ultimate reality of passing into the realm of eternity is a deep longing for the faithful heart yearning to be with God. We groan in this tent, being burdened, but we want to be clothed with eternity. That takes a greater faith. Looking forward to eternity with a greater anticipation of living is a remarkable leap of faith. It is possible when the heart fully trusts in the promises of God.

The core question that all men must answer is what their greatest desire in life is. Some seek fame and fortune, leaving a legacy for history to record. This is an empty life because everyone is forgotten over time. Eternity is different. No one is forgotten. Through faith in God and His great and precious promises, the child of God earnestly desires to experience death to experience eternal life – to be clothed with immortality. The desire is for mortality to be swallowed up by life. God promised eternal life when He raised Jesus from the dead. Walk by faith, not by sight. Live each day with the hope that eternity will come. It may be a while before that day comes, but one day it will. What a day that will be.