Tent Life: The Temporary Nature of Our Earthly Lives

We Christians forget we're tent dwellers. 

We sometimes start thinking that this world is our home, and we forget that we're like Abraham who lived "like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents" because he "was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Hebrews 11:8-10). 

Paul expressed the temporary nature of our lives in a similar way: "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" (2 Corinthians 5:1).(1)

By faith we deal with the fallen world in which we live. We face unexplained suffering, confusion, injustice, disappointment, and pain. That's all part of the "tent life."

But when we reach Heaven, Jesus "will wipe every tear from [our] eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain" (Revelation 21:4). He will make all things new, and we will dwell with Him and be His people (Revelation 21:3-5). 

When we think about these truths, it makes it easier to deal with our temporary tent life, don't you think?
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(1) This passage in Corinthians uses "tent" to mean the temporary nature of our earthly bodies. The passage in Hebrews refers to the temporary residence we have here on earth. Both point to the "tent life," but in slightly different ways.

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