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The Ultimate Vacation
While you're reading this, my wife and I are on
vacation. For me, it's a vacation that I never thought that I'd ever
get to take. Being a resident of Ohio, the west coast of the United
States seemed to far a distance for me to ever reach, yet here in the
state of Washington is where I find myself writing this article.
This particular destination came about due to the
fact that my wife is from Seattle and her parents live on Puget Sound in
the town of Sequim, so we began discussing us going "home" for a visit.
In the course of that discussion, Barbara told me a lot about Seattle,
Sequim, Rialto Beach, Hurricane Ridge, Mount St. Helens and many other
wonderful sounding places. Her words painted a beautiful state with
lots to do and to see. Of course, we had a small collection of
brochures to peruse along with several web sites that we had
bookmarked. It all looked and sounded great, but I found
myself silently wondering if it really was as nice as I had been told.
Months of planning finally came to fruition
with our airplane landing in Seattle, Washington. There to meet us at
the airport was Barbara's mother and father. It was a nice feeling to
see familiar faces welcoming us in! After a few more hours of driving
and ferrying, we were finally "home". Not long afterwards, we had a
great day spending time with Barbara's two brothers, their wives and
children. Then on Sunday we met more "family" by attending the Sequim
Vineyard Church. Pastor Jonathan Simonson and his congregation made us
feel right at home. It's funny, but as believers in Jesus, no matter
where we go the brothers and sisters in Christ are a fresh air of
familiarity. It was all very nice.
Now, as far as the state of Washington, let me be
the first to say that everything I had been told, everything I had read
about it and everything I imagined about it was so wonderfully true!
The snow-capped mountains, the tall, huge fir trees, the majestic Bald
Eagles and the rugged Pacific Ocean shoreline was everything I had hoped
it would be! I am, to say the least, having a very enjoyable vacation!
What a comfort it was to finally find out for
myself that everything I had hoped about this great place was true, and
I think that as believers in Christ we can stand on that very same hope
about our home in Heaven that Jesus has went to prepare for us. Jesus
said in John 14, verses 1-3; "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe
in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it
were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will
take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."
Yes, no one has ever gone to Heaven and came back
with eye-witness accounts. No one has ever printed out slick brochures
filled with photos of Heaven, but it's there and it's waiting for us to
enter in. God gave the Apostle John a vision of what Heaven is like.
John described some it like this; "And the twelve gates were twelve
pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the
city was pure gold, transparent as glass. And I saw no temple in the
city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the
city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God
is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb." (Rev. 21:21 & 22)
I encourage you as believers in Christ, to find
comfort in knowing that God's Word is true and that everything he has
revealed to us about our final destination is all and more he has said
it to be. Jesus will be at the gate of Heaven when we land to meet us,
as will all the other saints who have made the journey before us; grand
parents, parents, children and friends, all waiting for us to come
"home" and experience the true ultimate vacation for eternity.
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office@sequimvineyard.com
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