"AT HOME WITH THE LORD!"

2 Corinthians 5:1-10                                (ESV)

"1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from GOD, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,

3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.

4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened-not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

5 HE WHO has prepared us for this very thing is GOD, WHO has given us the SPIRIT as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body WE ARE AWAY FROM THE LORD,

7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and "AT HOME WITH THE LORD".

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him HIM.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of CHRIST, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."

Understanding that the scripture of this post is rather lengthy, I will do my best to keep the commentary brief.  There are several, SEVERAL friends who still grieve over loved ones who have are "AT HOME WITH THE LORD" and left us to remain in "this world"!  

I guess, for the most part, I did too.  That is until my mother exited from her earthly captivity into her glorious reward in February 2008.  My mom, sister and I had gone to see our family doctor on February 05, 2008 and he handed me a release to go back to work following the Brain Hemorrhage of July 2007.  Only seconds later he turned to my mother and said "Miss Alice, I don't have as good of news for you.  You have Stage Four Breast Cancer!"  Twenty-two days later she transitioned from her broken earthly body to her heavenly body, free from her earthly wear and tear, cancer, and all of the diseases that we all are susceptible to, into her heavenly body.  She was "AT HOME WITH THE LORD"!  

We ALL have a destination we are headed for.  The enemy wants us to focus on the here and now, not being concerned about eternity, whether it's in Heaven with our Savior, or in Hades with him.  He doesn't want us to think about being "AT HOME WITH THE LORD", for that is not an option for him!  So don't grieve over loved ones gone on before you.  Just glory in the fact that they aren't fighting the fight any longer, for they are now "AT HOME WITH THE LORD"!!!