2 Corinthians 5:1-10

As you already know, we are only on Earth temporarily. When this life is over and done with, we'll be able to go to our eternal dwelling in heaven.

Now 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 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 with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

(v1-4, NIV)

Paul describes our current life as the earthly tent. A tent is a temporary place to live, used to be mobile among many other things. There are some people who live for long times in tents. However, I think most of us would like to live somewhere more stable and permanent than a tent. The same thing goes for our earthy life compared to our life in heaven. Some people think it'll be boring in heaven or that for some reason earth is way better. Search the scriptures and you'll find some of the wonderful ways heaven is described. It's something to look forward to.

Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

(v5, NIV)

The Holy Spirit is our deposit. It's a down payment and an assurance for our heavenly home.

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

(v8-10, NIV)

Clearly we desire one over the other. However, we are here in this earthly body now. So, we must make use of these opportunities we have on Earth. At the end of our life we will have to give an account. So, let us live to please God to show him we were diligent with what was given to us.