Paul was thinking about his upgrade. His earthly home, his body, he considered but a tent . . . the temporary residence of a pilgrim . . . suited well for it’s terrestrial purpose . . . but not made to last. And so, Paul, as he was prone to do from time to time, reflects on his “heavenly dwelling” . . . “a building from God” . . . “a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2Cor. 5:1-2).

To reflect on “what will be” encouraged Paul as he dealt with “what is.” Though afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down (4:8-9), yet Paul could say, “We are always of good courage” (5:6a, 8a), reminded that mortality would be “swallowed up by life” . . . that God had promised a new dwelling . . . having given the Spirit “as a guarantee” (5:4-5).

But while the thought of the upgrade was glorious . . . as much as anticipating trading in his earthly tent for a heavenly house was motivating . . . it was the neighborhood he’d be moving into which, I think, really jazzed Paul.

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him.   (2Corinthians 5:6-9 ESV)

Away from the body, at home with the Lord . . . absent from the body, present with the Lord (NKJV). As glorious as “the upgrade” would be, it was where that new home would be located that served to encourage Paul. Not just being “at home” in a heavenly dwelling . . . . but being at home “with the Lord.”

The walk of faith one day giving way to sight . . . the hope of promise eventually realized in the glory of His presence . . . the magnificence of resurrected bodies paling in comparison to the majesty of Him who sits on the throne, and of the Lamb in His midst.

With the Lord . . . that’s the prize. Dwelling in His presence . . . that’s the end game.

The upgrade will be amazing . . . the new home will be beyond imagination . . . but that which will ultimately define eternal life will be being with the Lord!

Amen?