The “house” we lived in during our vacation is quite rustic. It has no running water, no electricity and no indoor plumbing. It has none of the creature comforts we’ve come to expect in the West. But it’s a great house! It provides shelter, a place to put our stuff, and is base camp, home, for the activities we do while on vacation, like hiking, fishing, exploring, and simply hanging out with each other and Jesus.
This year, on our last night, my wife and I sat on the porch all bundled up with a hot drink in our hands looking up at the light show above our heads. It was so beautiful to see so many of the stars that make up the Milky Way galaxy. It was quite relaxing. As we gazed upwards, we began talking about wouldn’t it be nice to stay up here longer. Then reality hit. It snows at this elevation! And it snows a lot. What’s the big deal? We both greatly dislike the cold. Wearing extra layers of clothing to keep warm is not something we look forward to at home where it doesn’t snow, let alone up here where it does.
This cabin is nice. But it’s not home. This world might be nice, but it’s not home. This is an important lesson we can take from the Feast of Tabernacles (aka Sukkot). Our bodies? Temporary. Our homes? Temporary. Our stuff? Very temporary. Our challenges? Temporary. Our defeats and failures? Temporary. Our pain and sorrow? Again, temporary.
We must praise Jesus for the victories, but don’t get too high on them. Complete victory is coming. Don’t beat yourself up over the defeats, which can lead to taking your drug of choice, you’re heading to a place where you’ll never lose again. One day this temporary sin-stained world will be replaced with permanent perfection. Stay focused on Jesus as this world is not our home, we’re just passing through.
S“E”t Free Nowww