Absent from the Body, Present with the Lord

2Co 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2Co 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
2Co 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
2Co 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
2Co 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
2Co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

I don't know about you, but as I am starting to age I've notice some strange sounds when I rise from my bed in the morning.  There are creaking, popping and snapping sounds.  They're not coming from the bed, but my knees and back as I rise to face the day.  I know as time passes there will be more physical problems just around the next bend.  Many of you know far more of physical suffering than I do.  What a wonderful promise we have in the Word of God, that God has another body waiting for us.  It will be our glorified resurrection body.  A body that will know none of the physical pains of this body.  What a wonderful thing to be eternally pain free.  

We see another precious promise in V. 5.  God has given to us the earnest of the Spirit.  If you have ever entered into a business deal you may have been required to put up earnest money to show that you would carry through on your end of the deal.  The same idea is conveyed here.  At the moment of salvation God gives us the earnest of the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit indwells us as believers.  Our bodies literally become the temple of the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Spirit is God's indication to us that the transaction will be completed.  When we leave this life we will be clothed upon with immortality and spend eternity in the presence of the Lord.

In v.7 we see that we are to live our lives by faith.  We can't stare into the face of our Lord in this life so it requires us to believe and trust God without seeing him.  Moses left Egypt behind by faith.  Heb 11:27 "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible."   If we only live our Christian lives by sight, we're not going to go very far in our walk with God.  God challenges us as believers to walk by faith.  Simply trust God to do what He says He will do.  Step out by faith and God will meet you there.

In v.8 we see as believers that the moment that we vacate our bodies in death we will instantly be in the presence of our Lord.  Death isn't an end for the believer!  It's simply a threshold that we step across into the very presence of our Lord. Paul had a desire to be absent from his body and to be present with the Lord, but he understood that is was more needful for him to remain and be a blessing and a help to the church.  Philippians 1:23 "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:  Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." 

You may be in great physical pain today, but if you're a child of God there is coming a day when pain will be no more.  Praise be to our Lord.