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Goodbye to Goodbyes

Goodbye to Goodbyes

This is a post I shared two years ago after visiting family in Michigan.  I just returned from a similar visit, and the sentiments expressed here seemed exceedingly poignant … at least to me.  But as always, I pray they bring some insight and encouragement to you.

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I hate goodbyes.  But then almost everyone does, don’t they?  Goodbyes to loved ones are rarely “good byes.”  In those situations, the word is the ultimate oxymoron.

This is a fresh and sensitive topic with me.  Recently I found myself saying goodbye to a number of family members. 

We had traveled back to Michigan to be with loved ones, and the good Lord allowed us to see many!  We spent time with both my parents and my wife’s parents.  We were able to visit with some of our siblings, their spouses and some of their children – our nephews and nieces.  In fact, the members of our entire immediate family (parents, children and grandchildren) were gathered together in one place for almost a week! 

(Because of various circumstances, many of these precious visits occur just once a year.)

Naturally, this led to multiple and heartfelt hellos.  Every day of our vacation brought joyful greetings of one kind or another; warm hellos springing from the shared bond of faith and family.  Hellos that reflect blood ties and past experiences, and which anticipate the wonderful things that the coming moments together will bring.

I love hellos.  Especially hellos to those people embedded deep in my heart.  But every hello in this world ultimately leads to a goodbye, doesn’t it?

Of course, there are a multitude of things to which we sooner or later bid adieu.  Houses, cars, places, experiences, jobs, schools … even previous health and appearance … can all merit “farewells” as we meander on through life.  And then there are those gut-wrenching goodbyes to our pets.  Make no mistake, some of these goodbyes can foster high emotion. 

But the worst goodbyes of all are the goodbyes to people we love. 

Why are goodbyes to loved ones so difficult?  Well, we thoroughly enjoy our time together.  Consequently, goodbye means a pause in those joyful moments, and often bounces us back to the reality of our other responsibilities and less enjoyable activities. 

However, that’s not the fundamental reason we hate goodbyes.  The real reason is very simple; we abhor goodbyes because we don’t know if we will be together again in this world.  The uncertainties of our earthly existence are ever-present in our awareness, and we all recognize that sooner or later there won’t be another hello. 

This inescapable fact rocks us.  It makes farewells to loved ones we rarely see agonizing.  But it even lurks in our consciousness with our day-to-day goodbyes … as much as we try not to think about it.  One can’t live a few years in this uncertain world without recognizing the uncertainty inherent in goodbyes.

My purpose in writing about goodbyes is not to bring anyone down.  Rather I want to underscore a few key points that I have fallen back on as I negotiate painful farewells.

Here’s the first one:  The fact that a person has agonizing goodbyes means that God has blessed them richly with dearly-loved family and friends.  Every close relationship in our life is a precious gift.  Each difficult goodbye we must endure simply emphasizes how profoundly blessed by God we are.

The second significant aspect of painful earthly goodbyes is that they encourage us to eagerly anticipate the day when there will never be any more goodbyes, but only hellos forever and ever.  This is such a foreign concept to us earthlings that we can barely consider it or comprehend it. 

But the day when God ushers us into heaven marks the end of experiencing goodbyes and the beginning of an eternity of hearing only hellos!  “Hello” to the Lord himself and Jesus our Savior.  “Hello” to the multitude of angels.  “Hello” to the great men and women of faith from the Bible and history.  “Hello” to our ancestors who lived and died in Jesus.  “Hello” to our family and friends who preceded us to heaven.  And “hello” to every family member and friend who follow us there!  Never again will we say “goodbye.”  Only “hello” over and over again forever and ever.

The Apostle John was given a glimpse of this wonderful heavenly home where goodbyes are gone and hellos predominate.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look!  God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain [or goodbyes], for the old order of things has passed away.”  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  (Revelation 21:3-5) 

A goodbye to goodbyes.  Now that really will be a “good bye!”

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A Certain Hope

A Certain Hope

Twenty seasons of futility.  That’s how long it has been since the Seattle Mariners participated in Major League Baseball’s playoffs.  Their last appearance in the post-season was 2001. 

In case you missed it a few sentences ago, let me restate it – that’s 20 years and counting of no October baseball!  Or two decades; an entire generation!

My second-youngest son was only 3 when it happened last.  My youngest son, who will be a senior in high school this fall wasn’t even born.  No wonder they are both rather cynical when it comes to the Mariners.

This was supposed to be the year they competed.  The playoff spots increased by two, opening more opportunity.  Furthermore, the M’s general manager rebuilt the team, stocking up on fantastic young prospects.  They have nurtured those prospects for years, and in this off-season added several players with strong major league resumes.

Before the season began, Mariners’ office personnel, local sports talk hosts, the players themselves, and almost the entire fan base were certain this would be the year that their reign of futility would end.  And perhaps it will be yet.  (Last year they made an exciting run in the second half of the season, finishing just a few games short of qualifying for the post-season.)

But key injuries, performance setbacks from some of the young players, and underwhelming play by expected contributors with “track records” have the Mariners in fourth place in the American League West Division, and seven games back from qualifying for a wildcard berth.

As I write this, teams have played about 70 games, with approximately 90 games remaining.  Hope isn’t yet gone, but it’s waning.  At this point the climb into the playoffs for Seattle’s baseball team will be a daunting task.

A person’s favorite team having a strong season is anything but certain.  No matter who is making the team player decisions and how astute he or she may be, and regardless of how talented the players may be on the team, there is no sure thing in the MLB. 

Nor is there in life really.  Actually, in any aspect of life!

Injuries occur.  Unexpected events transpire.  Extenuating circumstances pop up.  Setbacks set us back.  The bottom line is that none of us are guaranteed a rosy tomorrow.  We aren’t even guaranteed tomorrow itself!

How wonderful it is, then, that as Christians we are guaranteed eternity in a heavenly paradise!

How do we know heaven is ours?  How can this wonderful sounding but seemingly abstract blessing possibly be a certain hope for you and me?

Because it’s handled by a Sure Thing … by the very Son of God himself!  Jesus secured a place in heaven for every single person who clings to him in faith! 

The recurring theme throughout Scripture is that Jesus saved us.  Salvation certainly isn’t something we sinners deserve, and we can’t secure it by anything we do.  Rather we deserve quite another fate.  The Bible lays it out simply and clearly: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Let those magnificent words sink in and settle comfortably in your soul.  The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Is it really possible that you and I who are imbedded in an uncertain life in uncertain times in an uncertain world can actually have a certain hope of heaven?  Yes!  It’s beyond “possible;” it’s reality!

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life … I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13).

Will the Mariners miss the playoffs for the 21st year in a row, and extend the longest streak of futility in all the primary professional sports leagues?  It remains to be seen.  Their future is uncertain.

Our future as believers in Jesus, however, is anything but.  We have at least one certain hope, and it trumps all others!  We are headed to heaven!  And when the Lord brings us across “home plate” and into our eternal home, we will see that certain hope fulfilled … forever.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you …” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

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Indescribable!

Indescribable!

Really, how does one describe the indescribable?  We struggle to put into words the incredible things we experience and the views we see here on earth.  If we sometimes struggle to adequately describe our present world, how could we even begin to describe the wonders of the world waiting for us in heaven?

The Apostle Paul writes this:  “… No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 – NIV 1982).

In other words, the wonderful home in heaven which God has prepared for his faithful people is indescribable!  Since no eye has seen its splendor and no ear has heard its sounds, how could any mind conceptualize what it is really like?

Of course, the Bible does give us some insights into that wonderful place.  Jesus’ simple words provide a cozy picture of that new home: a room in the Heavenly Father’s mansion in the presence of Jesus himself.  “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3).

Jesus’ description makes heaven sound wonderfully comfortable; John’s description from his God-given vision in Revelation 21 displays it as beyond extravagant.  Here are his mind-boggling words:

“The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.  The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.  The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.”

“The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.  The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.”

“I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Revelation 21:18-23)

Is that description of the heavenly wall, gates and street intended to be taken literally, or is it symbolic of the matchless beauty and priceless worth of being there?  Is it God’s way of propelling us to absolute awe by providing a picture we can “sort of” grasp?  Who here on earth could know?  However, I believe the description of God’s glory illuminating heaven is undoubtedly the way it is.  Nothing shines brighter, so no other source of light is needed there!

Then John provides this little nugget regarding our salvation: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes’” (Revelation 21:3-4). 

Those tears?  They are tears of joy at being allowed to exist in the very presence of God … forever!  I suspect that the Lord will frequently need to dry our joyful tears through our never-ending time there.  We’ll be repeatedly – eternally! – overwhelmed by the magnificence of the place, and the sheer wonder that we are actually there (and never have to leave!).

The descriptions of how heaven looks and how heaven will be are impressive.  Perhaps even more impressive are the descriptions of how people feel and act there.  What I have always found fascinating is that very often the Bible’s descriptions of the blessings of heaven tell us what does NOT exist there instead of what does!  (Which makes sense because our frame of reference is life in this broken world.)

“There will be no more night” (Rev. 22:5).  For the blessed who are there, “‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat’” (Rev. 7:16).  ‘“There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’  He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!”’ (Rev. 21:4-5). 

We can certainly conceptualize what is NOT in heaven.  But what IS there is inconceivable, and therefore indescribable. 

I suspect everyone envisions their existence in heaven differently.  We likely picture it in earthly terms with earthly concepts.   I confess mine is relaxing peacefully before some spectacular view of nature.  Others may have different thoughts on what would make for a “heavenly” heaven.  But here’s what will make salvation unmatchable: we will finally and forever be able to look upon our all-sacrificing Savior on his throne … and that view will be indescribable!

And then there’s the sight of the angels and all the other glorified believers who are there with us!

Not to mention the brilliant light and other-worldly colors.  The exuberant and unmatchable singing.  (Perhaps 100-part harmony sung by the redeemed and angels beyond count!)  The splendorous smells.  The sumptuous heavenly “feast” (Isaiah 25:6).  The ultra-fine feel of everything there.  (To once again use our earthly senses in an attempt to grasp the unearthly.)

But to transition to the spiritual, which will far transcend the physical: the pure holiness of everything in that perfect place!  (Including us!)  The absolute and all-encompassing security.  The perfect peace; the incredible joy.  The lack of any trace of negativity. The complete tranquility.  The utter bliss.  The eternalness of it all!

In the words above, I’ve shared some of the Bible’s descriptions and a few thoughts of my own regarding heaven.  But finally, the only way to describe heaven is that it is indescribable. 

The fact that we get to go there because of Jesus our Savior is indescribable too!  

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.  This inheritance is kept in heaven for you …” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

How incredibly blessed are we to be heirs of such magnificence!  And how incredibly blessed are those who are already experiencing that inheritance!

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This post is dedicated to the many wonderful Christians who have arrived at their heavenly home in the past year … some of whom were very dear to me, and some of whom were wonderful supporters of this blog.

In particular, I want to mention Diane Quick, who regularly played organ for our congregation’s worship services for almost eleven years, and who was the third person to subscribe to this blog.  She jumped on board immediately.

I also want to acknowledge Lee Hunt, who was the eighth person to subscribe, and was one of my greatest encouragers on this endeavor.  He eagerly read every post, and discussed them with me almost every Sunday.  When I held a 50th post contest, God saw to it that Lee won.  He proudly wore his “Heading to Heaven” prize tee shirt many Sundays to worship in our church … which always warmed my heart and now chokes me up. 

Both of them have indeed “Headed to Heaven.” I pray that some of the things I shared on this blog (and from the pulpit) “encouraged them until they finally got where they were going.”  I will miss them both, as well as all my loved ones who are now rejoicing with the Lord in their heavenly home.  But I rejoice at their destination!  I know it’s indescribable, but they will have an eternity to try.

How to Interact on This Blog

To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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Thoughts of Home

Thoughts of Home

It never fails.  If I happen to spot a flock of ducks or geese flying overheard, they always take my thoughts immediately back to the home where I grew up in Michigan.  It’s always immediate, and it’s typically bittersweet.

This may strike you as strange.  However, I recognize exactly why the view of a skein of ducks or geese winging across the sky transports me 2,400 miles across the Continent and 40 years back in time. 

I grew up about a mile from Saginaw Bay on the Southwest side of Lake Huron.  Every Fall, reams of ducks and geese in huge flocks flew … and still fly … over my parents’ house.  And every Fall I would watch with awe as they flapped rhythmically overhead, continuing their migration South or returning from foraging in the fields, to access the safety of the nearby Bay.

The number of flights seemed unending, and I could watch them untiringly.  Sometimes I would attempt to count the birds in a flock, and the totals in just one flock could easily reach hundreds.

I recognized the repeated V pattern of their skeins, of course.  (Sometimes the flights were in patterns forming a J or a W instead.)  However, I didn’t understand why they flew in those formations

There actually seems to be several reasons for the repeated flight patterns.  First of all, it is the most efficient way to fly as a group.  The staggered positioning results in a reduction of wind resistance for those in the following positions, conserving a significant portion of their energy.  When the leader grows tired, he or she falls back and another bird takes their place.

In addition, flying in formation seems to assist with the communication and coordination within the group.  They can more easily see one another and adjust their positioning and wingbeats accordingly.  The birds actually synchronize flaps based on the bird’s beats in front of them!

Ducks and geese typically fly at about 40 to 60 miles an hour, depending on the breed and the weather conditions.  However, their flight speed can actually be significantly higher when migrating with advantageous winds.  In such conditions, Mallards can fly up to 800 miles in 8 hours.  Astonishingly, Canada Geese can actually cover 1,500 miles in one day in favorable winds.   The elevation of ducks and geese in migration varies greatly, from as low as 200 feet to as high as 4,000.

Where we currently live in Washington with the abundant water supplies, it is also common to spot flights of ducks or geese.  (Though the flocks certainly aren’t as abundant or as large as where I grew up.)  But I am glad to see the ones I see.

Recently as my eyes caught sight of a V-shaped flight overhead, it took me back again to the home of my youth.  Yup, bittersweet once again. 

But it occurred to me that instead of looking back, I should let the flying birds take my view forward.  They are journeying to a better and more pleasant place.  But so are we!  The journey is difficult, but the destination is sublime.

Furthermore, when the Lord calls us home, we will fly to him … just as the ducks and geese leave behind the impending winter and wing to the more pleasant destination.  Moses used this very picture in Psalm 90: “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10).

Yes, the migratory birds always remind me of my previous home.  How much better if they took my mind to my future Home in Heaven instead?  My past home was marvelous; my future home wonderful beyond comprehension!  My past home holds many fond memories; my future home holds a joyous eternity of memories to be made!

And here’s what clinched this new viewpoint for me: The flocks fly in the formation of a V.  They are a visual reminder of the Victory we have in Jesus our Savior.  Victory over sin, death and the devil.  Victory in regard to our eternal destiny.  Victory!  Ultimate Victory!

“’Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?’”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

Yes, the sight of a skein of ducks or geese winging overhead will still take me back home.  But from now on they will also remind me of Home.

How to Interact on This Blog

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The Ultimate Vacation

The Ultimate Vacation

Sooner or later, everyone needs a vacation.

God didn’t create us toil continually. In fact, he mandated a day of rest every week for the Old Testament believers (the Sabbath Day). The Lord can go nonstop; we cannot.

Which is why most of us eagerly anticipate vacation time.

Vacation typically means a break from the usual responsibilities and annoyances, a time for relaxation and refreshment, and precious moments with family and loved ones. The word “vacation” is usually synonymous with happiness. Some of our most treasured memories occur while on vacation, whether an extended one, or a one-day break.

We plan for vacations. We block out time on our calendars and ask off from work. We budget and make the appropriate reservations for them. And we typically want to stay on vacation for as long as we possibly can … not because we are lazy, but because of all the blessings and benefits of the time away.

We look forward to our vacation the entire year. Sometimes it is what allows us to keep plugging away when we are exhausted and discouraged. “If I can just make it to vacation,” we tell ourselves.

As I reflect on these things a few days before we leave on our own vacation, I can’t help but see the similarities between vacation on earth and vacation from earth (i.e. heaven).

Think about it. When we go on our eternal vacation, the following will be true:

We will be on eternal break from our earthly responsibilities.

We will leave behind all difficulties forever.

We will experience the ultimate rest, relaxation and refreshment.

We will spend the most precious moments of all with family and loved ones who have gone to heaven before us, and we’ll never have to say goodbye again.

Our happiness will be complete; we’ll be forever with the Lord.

Our most treasured moments will be occurring … continually!

We will be able to stay on this vacation eternally; it doesn’t end.

And our heavenly home is often what allows us to keep on keeping on in this difficult world. It is the eternal light at the end of our life tunnel which encourages us to stay the course.

All of which demonstrates why entering our heavenly home is going on the ultimate vacation. There is no vacation that could be better.

The Apostle John describes that eternal break in this way:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:3-5).

Yup, I’m looking forward to our vacation next week. But not as much as I’m looking forward to my ultimate vacation one day!

How to Interact on This Blog

To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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Goodbye to Goodbyes

Goodbye to Goodbyes

I hate goodbyes.  But then almost everyone does, don’t they?  Goodbyes to loved ones are rarely “good byes.”  The word is the ultimate oxymoron.

This is a fresh and sensitive topic with me.  Recently I found myself saying goodbye to a number of family members. 

We had traveled back to Michigan just to see loved ones, and the good Lord allowed us to see many!  We spent time with both my parents and my wife’s parents.  We saw some of our siblings, their spouses and some of their children – our nephews and nieces.  In fact, the members of our entire immediate family (parents, children and grandchildren) were gathered together in one place for almost a week!  It was the first time in several years that this has happened.

All of which led to multiple and heartfelt hellos.  Every day of our vacation brought joyful greetings of one kind or another; warm helloes springing from the shared bond of faith and family.  Helloes that reflect blood ties and past experiences, and which anticipate the wonderful things that the coming moments together will bring.

I love helloes.  Especially helloes to those people embedded deep in my heart.  But every hello in this world ultimately leads to a goodbye, doesn’t it?

Of course, there are a multitude of things to which we sooner or later bid adieu.  Houses, cars, places, experiences, jobs, schools … even previous health and appearance … can all merit “farewells” as we meander on through life.  And then there are those gut-wrenching goodbyes to our pets.  Make no mistake, some of these goodbyes can foster high emotion. 

But the worst goodbyes of all are the goodbyes to people we love. 

Why are goodbyes to loved ones so difficult?  Well, we thoroughly enjoy our time together.  Consequently, goodbye means a pause in those joyful moments, and often bounces us back to the reality of our other responsibilities and less enjoyable activities. 

However, that’s not the fundamental reason we hate goodbyes.  The real reason is very simple; we abhor goodbyes because we don’t know if we will be together again in this world.  The uncertainties of our earthly existence are ever-present in our awareness, and we all recognize that sooner or later there won’t be another hello. 

This inescapable fact rocks us.  It makes farewells to loved ones we rarely see agonizing.  But it even lurks in our consciousness with our day-to-day goodbyes … as much as we try not to think about it.  One can’t live a few years in this uncertain world without recognizing the uncertainty inherent in goodbyes.

My purpose in writing about goodbyes is not to bring anyone down.  Rather I want to underscore a few key points that I have fallen back on as I negotiate painful farewells.

Here’s the first one:  The fact that a person has agonizing goodbyes means that God has blessed them richly with dearly-loved family and friends.  Every close relationship in our life is a precious gift.  Each difficult goodbye we must endure simply emphasizes how profoundly blessed by God we are.

The second significant aspect of painful earthly goodbyes is that they encourage us to eagerly anticipate the day when there will never be any more goodbyes, but only helloes forever and ever.  This is such a foreign concept to us earthlings that we can barely consider it or comprehend it. 

But the day when God ushers us into heaven marks the end of experiencing goodbyes and the beginning of an eternity of hearing only helloes!  “Hello” to the Lord himself and Jesus our Savior.  “Hello” to the multitude of angels.  “Hello” to the great men and women of faith from the Bible and history.  “Hello” to our ancestors who lived and died in Jesus.  “Hello” to our family and friends who preceded us to heaven.  And “hello” to every family member and friend who follows us there!  Never again will we say “goodbye.”  Only “hello” over and over again forever and ever.

The Apostle John was given a glimpse of this wonderful heavenly home where goodbyes are gone and helloes predominate.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look!  God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  (Revelation 21:3-5) 

A goodbye to goodbyes.  Now that really will be a “good bye!”

Just a Small Slice of Heaven?

Just a Small Slice of Heaven?

Of course, nothing in this world can even begin to replicate the world that awaits us.  But that doesn’t keep us from trying to find just a small slice of heaven here on earth.

It seems to me that those heavenly attributes we most desperately seek are rest, relaxation, joy and peace.  The reality is that these blessings are primarily delivered to us by the Holy Spirit in spiritual packages … through God’s Gospel wrapped in different and delightful ways.  And finally, that resource (the Gospel!) is where we all want to be actively abiding.

Otherwise peace, joy, rest and relaxation are difficult qualities to uncover in this hard-driven, stress-packed, muddled-up, uncertain, unsettled, and demanding society.  And especially all of them all at once.   Rarely will they be uncovered in one secular activity.

I have many hobbies I enjoy.  I enjoy them because they bring me a hint of the blessings I will experience fully in heaven.  Hiking and backpacking; hunting and fishing; metal detecting and gold panning; bird and animal watching; gardening and landscaping; cooking and grilling; traveling and exploring; reading and writing; watching a good ballgame or attending a concert … they all bring a measure of satisfaction.  But none of them foster complete rest and relaxation, peace and joy.

Obviously no non-spiritual activity in this life can or will.  But there is one thing that comes close … at least for me.  Camping.

Now I recognize that some of the good readers of this blog will cringe at the thought of residing for days in a tent with no amenities on the edge of a dirt-covered, smoke-filled campsite.  To be largely at the mercy of the whims of weather, wild critters and bugs would definitely NOT be restful and relaxing to many.  Nor would they find it peace-providing and joy-filling.

But it is to me.

Metal detecting?  (Enjoyable!)  Cooking a good meal?  (Satisfying!)  Observing wildlife?  (Delightful!)  Backpacking?  (Thrilling!)  Fishing?  (Potentially relaxing AND exciting!)  Reading a well-crafted book?  (Distracting … in a good way!)  Camping?  (Restful, relaxing, peaceful and joyful!)

I’ve wondered why I enjoy it so much.  Perhaps it’s because of the memories of camping with my parents and siblings when I was young, or with my wife and children when I was older.  The presence of loved ones is huge.  Undoubtedly my joy in camping also revolves around my love of the outdoors.  Being free from responsibilities other than “the very basics of life” (food, drink, and shelter) is another factor.  Camping allows me to unplug for an extended amount of time, along with the rest of my family who are with me.  And then there’s the added bonus of being able to easily participate in so many of my other enjoyable pursuits.  After all, we’re temporarily living in the outdoors!

Ah, there’s nothing like a camping trip to bring sweet rest, easy relaxation, deep-seated peace, and exquisite joy.  Nothing outside of spiritual elements in this world, anyway.  I recognize that it’s not for everyone.  But at least for me, camping is a small slice of heaven.

Imagine then what a large slice of heaven will be!  The complete, perfect and unending slice!  This is how an “elder” in heaven described salvation to John:

“These in white robes … are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.  ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.  The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat.  For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’”  (Revelation 7:13-17).

In other words, the ultimate rest, relaxation, peace and joy will be found in heaven!  I can’t wait to “camp” there forever.

The View from the Top

The View from the Top

I’ve often thought that a Christian’s life is like a backpacking trip in the mountains.

Backpacking, of course, is where one carries everything they will need for the duration of a hike in a pack on their back.  It’s camping … minus the vehicle and most of the other conveniences.

One can backpack in all kinds of environments: forest, prairie or beaches.  We have a fair share of all of those in Washington.  But the environment that seems to especially draw the backpackers in this state is the mountains.  I believe there’s a reason for that!  (More on this in a moment.)

There’s actually a multitude of reasons a person might choose to backpack.  Perhaps it’s the desire to get away from the crowds.  Perhaps self-sufficiency.  It might be eagerness to overcome difficult challenges.  Or maybe the draw is the joy of time spent with dear family members or special friends.  Maybe backpacking scratches the adventure itch.  Maybe the pull is as simple as providing a much-needed break from normal responsibilities.

But one of the greatest lures … at least for me, and I believe for many … is to be able to enjoy the view from the top.  Consequently, we are pulled to the mountains.  John Muir stated, “The mountains are calling and I must go.”  I (and others!) can relate.

However, in order to enjoy the top-tier views, one must begin below, at a lower level.  That necessitates a lot of uphill trudging to get where a trekker is going.  Keep in mind that one’s load is always heaviest at the bottom!  Not to mention that the hiker is undoubtedly at a higher elevation and the air is a bit thinner than he or she is accustomed.  So a backpack in the mountains typically starts hard, and then gets harder.

Inevitably the uphill slopes begin, and the hike becomes more grueling.  Sometimes one forges up a steep hill only to scramble back down into a valley on the other side.  Which means the hiker has to regain all the elevation he or she lost (and more!) on the other side of the valley!

Of course, there are a multitude of joys along the way: immersion in wilderness; scenes normally not seen; delightful conversations with companions; encounters with wildlife; lovely vistas and relaxing campsites; even unforgettable and life-changing experiences.  These are encouraging, but they aren’t the key reason the hiker is on this journey.  There is something bigger and better, greater and more grandiose, up ahead.

So the backpacker continues to lug his or her backpack ever higher.  Along the way, multiple inconveniences and even crises are encountered: tripping on roots and rocks; mosquitoes and biting flies; the sun beating down and burning one’s skin; rainstorms; thirst; disappointing meals; sore muscles or even injuries; rude people and thieving animals; sweat, dirt, and exhaustion.  Perhaps even a wrong turn or two along the way!

But finally … after lengthy days, many miles and thousands of steps … the backpacker crests a summit, and there is that revelation!  That epiphany!  That goal that the hiker strived for all along the way.  It’s the view from the top!

Now is the time to unstrap the backpack, pull out a water bottle and a tasty snack, find a comfy seat and soak in the scenery.  Was it all that was expected?  My experience is that it’s usually better!  Was the rugged journey there worth it?  Undoubtedly!

I believe that a Christian’s life is like a backpacking trip in the mountains.  It begins rough, and generally gets rougher.  There are many joys along the way, of course, but multiple challenges too.  There are lovely views and relaxing rests at times, but frustrations are common as well.  Our path contains some comfortable walking, and even some downhill slopes.  Yet the trend is always uphill, and sometimes steeply!

But that’s OK, because our goal is the view from the top.  Every step is one step closer to the destination; every obstacle overcome brings us just a bit nearer; every blessing a precursor of what awaits. 

And finally … after lengthy days, many miles and thousands of steps … the believer in Jesus crests a summit, and there is that revelation!  That epiphany!  That goal that he or she strived for all along the way.  It’s the view from the top!  It’s the first gorgeous sight of heaven, and it’s eternal immersion in the grace and glory of God!

Will it be all that we expected?  No.  It will be better!  Will the rugged journey there be worth it?  Oh, most definitely yes!

On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine — the best of meats and the finest of wines.  On this mountain he will … swallow up death forever.  The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces … In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us.  This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation”  (Isaiah 25:6-9).