From Here to Timbuktu

If I had no obligations, if money was not an issue, if fear did not play a part in my life, I would love to travel.  I have been to a few places here and there in the United States.  Been to Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, and of course Texas.  All of the places were…nice.  But my favorite places included ones with mountains.  When I travel, I want to actually climb a mountain.  Or two.  The closest I have come to climbing a mountain was when my grandfather drove through the mountains on our journey to Washington.  It was a magnificent view.  And I have been to the top of a mountain.  I was close enough to touch the clouds.  So exhilarating. 

I remember my trip to Washington State.  It was the summer between my junior and senior year in high school.  That would have been back in 2000, maybe.  On the way to Washington, we went through Colorado.  As we were driving, we had two views.  The driver’s side view was a wall formed by the mountain.  The passenger’s side view was air.  The speed limit was no more than 15 miles an hour through most of that drive.  It was amazing.  I praise God I was not the one driving.

 

I also remember when we went to Wallowa Mountains in Oregon.  The view was breath taking.  It was absolutely amazing.  Standing on the top of the mountains, looking out...indescribable.  The view went on forever.  The snow-capped mountains were unimaginable to this city girl from Texas.  I fell in love that day.  Even now, thirteen years later, I still can picture it and feel the peace it gave me while there.

While I was in Washington State, my family and I also went to Yellowstone National Park.  That was an adventure.  I don’t remember how long we stayed there, but it was long enough to see animals I had only read about in books.  Old Faithful was still somewhat faithful.  The geological features were absolutely amazing to experience.  There is so much evidence in Yellowstone of God’s creative power and His ingenuity.  The colors, the designs, the intricacies are too amazing to be formed by some kind of accident.  God definitely had a hand in it all.

As amazing as all these places are that I have been to, there is a place that I really want to travel to, but not for a visit.  I want to make it my permanent residence.  I want Heaven to be my home.  As breathtakingly beautiful as the other places are, Heaven is going to be 1,000 times more beautiful.  The mountains, the geysers, the hot springs are all amazing, but they have been affected by sin.  Old Faithful has lost most of its faithfulness and mountains are becoming landslides.  In Heaven and on the New Earth, sin will not have touched the things God has created.  Everything will be majestically beautiful.  Everything will be made new.  There will be no sink holes.  There will be no quick sand.  There will be no erosion.  All things will be made perfect. 

Beauty in my eyes is Washington, Oregon, Yellowstone.  But God has something else in mind, something more beautiful.  Beauty these eyes have never seen.  Beauty this mind cannot comprehend.  I desire to see my new home.  And one day, when Jesus returns to take His people home, I will be in that crowd and partake of that beauty only By God’s Amazing Grace.