“For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less. That’s why we live with such good cheer. You won’t see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don’t get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead.” (2 Corinthians 5:1-6 MSG selected)
Last week we were in Whangateau with plans to go to Waipu Cove on Wednesday. The tent we borrowed was lovely but it was small – probably little over two metres by two metres with standing room in the middle only.

The tent was big enough for sleeping on an inflatable mattress with a small passage-way on either side for our clothes and toiletries. Food we kept in the kitchen with eating utensils, and everything else we kept in the car. Monday was a beautiful day but on Tuesday, when we were supposed to go snorkeling, the sea was rough ahead of a predicted storm and the hire company dissuaded us from attempting it. (Not sure if our grey hair had anything to do with it.) A hundred percent rain and high winds were predicted for Wednesday and not much better for Thursday so we decided to forgo our deposit and cancel our booking for Waipu Cove. Rain is not much fun in a cramped tent – especially if the tent has to be taken down and set up again in the rain. We chose instead, the relative spaciousness of my son’s caravan back in Hamilton.
However, this is not our final destination. We can look forward to the spacious living-conditions of our own house in South Africa.
Paul contrasts our earthly bodies to such cramped tents. They are limited. Our resurrection bodies are what we are looking forward to – our true home. Meanwhile we can be cheerful and put up with cramped conditions, knowing that spacious living awaits us.
My Prayer
Lord Jesus, sometimes I get frustrated by the limitations of my earthly body, especially as I get older and can’t do many things I used to be able to. May these limitations not get me down but rather remind me of the new resurrection body you have planned for me, perfectly suited to the new Heaven and new Earth. Amen.