I expressed in a previous post my wonderful memories of camping with my boys when they were growing up. Their mother and I now await the grandkids to get a little older so that we can enjoy the same pleasures with them. Funny thing though, now my Teresa wants to get a travel trailer so that we will have a bed to sleep on. Do you think that age has anything to do with that?
As much as I enjoyed the camping experience including making camp and pitching the tent, I don’t recall ever being sad when it was time to go home. We would usually stay a few days and the longer we stayed the more I missed the comforts of my bed and pillow. We never went camping with any idea of permanence about the trip. It was always temporary. We always knew we had a limited time to camp. If the trip lasted too many days I can say I longed for my home. Fun times but ready to go home.
There is an obvious comparison to life. My experience here on earth is a camping trip. As a matter of fact it reminds me of my mother singing when I was just a little boy. She would sing the old song “I’m camping, I’m camping in Canaan’s happy land.”
In Philippians 1:23, Paul says I am hard pressed between the two having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better.
The Greek term translated depart is analyo, which is actually a term for breaking camp or folding a tent. Paul says I have a desire to break camp here on earth and go home to be with Christ.
When we view our lives here on earth as though we are just passing through, pilgrims as it were, we can see our lives as a temporary sojourn.
Isaiah expressed it thus “My life span is gone. Taken from me like a shepherd’s tent.” Isaiah 38:12.
I really think if we have a close walk with the LORD we can have the same feeling as we did with the camping experience. We enjoyed the trip, but always realized it was temporary. We enjoyed the trip, but always looked forward to going home. The older we get the more we should long for home. Now I must admit I love life. I enjoy this wonderful creation and I hope the LORD has plans to use me here many more years, but I want to be like Paul. I want to be torn, hard pressed, having a desire to stay here, but also longing for my eternal home. Yes, I want to stay and watch my children and my grandchildren grow and enjoy life, but I also hope to spend eternity with them.
I am camping and I love it, but one day I expect to go home.