Revelation 21:4 – 5b “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I will make all things new.’”
Each step became increasingly more challenging. What began as a “level 1 – Easy Trail” had morphed into a “level 3 – Death Defying Mountain Trek.” Obviously, we had not adequately done our research, but chose to rely on the recommendation of the twenty-something-year-old expert hikers we met along the way. The fact that these hikers were fully decked out in the latest and greatest hiking gear in contrast to our simple backpacks holding leaky water bottles, should have been a clue we were out of our league. Yet, off we took, having been assured the view from the top was worth the hike.
Our trek took us over narrow, winding paths, steep ascending and descending trails, slippery rocks, water hazards, and treacherous drop-offs into the great abyss. Scary wildlife of which we could not even identify froze us in our tracks. About mile eight, I greatly doubted any view could be worth the blisters on my feet. (Mental note: pretty sure those expert hikers’ fancy backpacks contained first aid kits.)
Reaching the crest, we sucked in air and immediately froze as we gazed out upon the great expanse. All thought of aching feet disappeared. Then in comical unison we proclaimed: “This view is totally worth the hike!”
Eventually we had to say goodbye to this little piece of heaven and begin our trek down the mountain. The slow descent from the peak offered time for soul-searching and I began to contemplate how indicative this adventure was of our journey on earth. Life here can lead us to deep, dark valleys of hopelessness leaving us too exhausted to climb out. Our encounters with strenuous hardships, illness, grief, pain, loss, and disappointments can leave us doubting whether we will survive. Hazardous temptations can trip us up and we can find ourselves stuck in sin. Or we may choose to follow advice that leads us away from the path God has set for us.
Sisters, our hope is built on the glorious destination at the end of life’s journey. Mortal words cannot begin to describe heaven, but the apostle John assured us what God is preparing is a paradise beyond anything our imagination can conjure up. Let us have no doubt, the view at the top will be totally worth the hike.
Father God, may we keep our eyes on the prize as we journey through this life.
Blessings,
Rita Cochrane