Tired Tents

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our writer today is Arthur Jackson, and the devotional is titled, Tired Tents. The tent is tired.

Those were the words of my friend Paul who pastors a church in Nairobi, Kenya. Since 2015, the congregation has worshipped in a tent-like structure. Now Paul writes, Our tent is worn out and it's leaking when it rains. My friend's words about their tent's structural weaknesses remind us of the Apostle Paul's words regarding the frailty of our human existence. Outwardly, we are wasting away. While we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened. Though the awareness of our fragile human existence happens relatively early in life, we become more conscious of it as we age.

Indeed, time picks our pockets. The vitality of youth surrenders reluctantly to the reality of aging. Our bodies, our tents, get tired.

But tired tents need not equate to tired trust. Hope and heart need not fade as we age. Therefore, we do not lose heart, the apostle says. The one who has made our bodies has made himself at home there through his spirit. And when this body can no longer serve us, we'll have a dwelling not subject to breaks and aches. We'll have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven.

Hear the word of the Lord from 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 16 through chapter 5 verse 5. Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.

Since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 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. Meanwhile, we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your continual presence. When we are physically uncomfortable, in pain, and distracted with this life, would you help us to trust you even as we anticipate an eternal dwelling that will last forever? And it's in Jesus' name that we pray, amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Wes Ward, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.