¹ Now 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 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, ³ because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. ⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ We live by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:1–10

Our time here on earth is temporary. It wasn’t supposed to be. God created us to live with him forever. Sin changed all that. It brought corruption and decay and death to God’s creation. Yesterday’s devotion had the reminder:

…the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. Isaiah 51:6

Even though we live in a fallen, sinful world, man’s desire is to live. Whether people believe in God or not, their desire is to live. They seek diet plans and treatments and medications and all sorts of things to extend their lives. People don’t want to die, but live. And God created us to live. But as I said, sin changed all that. Well, everything but the desire to go on living.

The only lasting answer to life is found in Jesus. God made it possible through Jesus for man to be able to live forever as He intended. Every other effort to live will not succeed. The last part of the passage above from 2 Corinthians makes it sound as though our reward is based upon what we do. That understanding comes from not reading the entire message God shares with us. Just a few verses later Paul reminds us:

¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:14–15

He – Jesus – died for all. His death was the payment for all of us, so we “all died.” His death paid for the sins of the world. He died so we could live, which is the desire of our heart. And we know that we will live in a new place that He is preparing for us, our heavenly dwelling, where mortality will be swallowed up by life! Life with Jesus. Life forever. Life God wants for everyone. Life that has already begun when you live by faith and not by sight. Life even though we are temporarily clothed with the body and not yet with our heavenly dwelling.

Knowing all this is why the followers of Jesus strive to make it our goal to live lives that will please Him while we are at home in the body until the time we are away from it and with Jesus in that place He has readied for us.