The Ultimate Vacation

Not long ago, my wife and I took a wonderful vacation back to her home state.  For me, it was 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 there in the state of Washington was where I found 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 finely "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.