For we know that when this tent we live in - our body here on earth - is torn down, God will have a house in heaven for us to live in, a home he himself has made, which will last forever. And now we sigh, so great is our desire that our home which comes from heaven should be put on over us; by being clothed with it we shall not be without it. While we live in this earthly tent, we groan with a feeling of oppression; it is not that we want to get rid of our earthly body, but that we want to have the heavenly one put on over us, so that what is mortal will be transformed by life. God is the one who has prepared us for this change, and he gave us his Spirit as the guarantee of all that he has in store for us.

2 Corinthians 5:1-5

It is a rare believer who joyfully welcomes death. No doubt we may long to die if we are painfully and incurably sick, or if we are old, alone and unable to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Otherwise, we cling to life with a God-given instinct of self-preservation.

We would be wise to balance our love of life with the truth that we are not long for this world. We are aliens, pilgrims, and sojourners for a few fleeting years. So, whether death seems far away or close at hand, we can be confident that if our faith is in the risen Christ we will leave this world to enter heaven's glory. One glad day we will be heading home.

Nothing on earth can compare to being with Christ in heaven.

Our Daily Bread - June 28, 2003