It’s a thing in the Navy, and like all Navy-speak gets shortened to its acronym – TLA. When you report for duty at a new base, TLA is money to pay your hotel bill until you find a place, or your number comes up on the military housing list. It was typically three weeks. Anyone who has served in the military or been a traveling salesman can tell you all about moving. In the Navy, the normal tour was three years, with an optional one-year extension. Overseas or isolated duty was only two. That’s a lot of moves. A lot of TLA. You might move twice in a two or three-year span. My wife Debbie and I counted up 28 moves in our 36 years of marriage! I have put her through the “double whammy” of being a Navy wife and a pastor’s wife.

It is a quaint notion to be born, live and die in the same residence. We move on. Not too many even stay in their hometown anymore. Jesus found it painful to even visit his hometown of Nazareth. He was always on the move, claiming no residence of his own. He covered as much territory as humanly possible. He got his “TLA” every night – free room and board. The closest we can come to that experience might be the bed ‘n’-breakfast or AirBnB.

Our earthly residence is temporary. That does not mean, as some Christians mistakenly think, that we shouldn’t care about the world because God will replace it with something better. There may be a glimmer of truth in that, but even as this lodging is temporary, we owe it to our Maker to treat all living things and this planet with loving care, respect, and stewardship. This is not some “throwaway” dwelling. God will restore THIS earth to its original and perfect condition. I envision, imagine Eden. You know, the Eden that seems to have lasted about five minutes. Try not to think and believe that this world is one life to be replaced by another. Think as an improved continuation, perfected again by our amazing God. Our mortal flesh-and-bone life may be limited to eighty years or so, thus giving us the mindset of “temporary lodging allowance.” Again – true to a point. But if we sit around waiting for God to call us home or “rapture” His church, we do Him a disservice and do not honor His calling for us to make each day count. To go and make  disciples. Enjoy each stop, each move on the journey. It is what you make it. Even the most unpleasant duty station or move for us in Newport, R.I. had its pleasant spring and summer, leaves changing, snow (all new experiences for this native Floridian)! This “TLA” existence is always blessed, anointed and accompanied by God’s unconditional love.

Pastor Art