When we travel, we seldom stock up on souvenirs. If anything, we’ll pick up something for the grandkids. Or we’ll grab a couple of matching coffee mugs to add to our matching coffee mug collection – because that’s a thing for us.

Last summer, we made an exception.

We traveled to the coast of Oregon for our 40th wedding anniversary. We had decided beforehand that we’d like to bring home something special to commemorate both the trip and this milestone life event. So any time we ventured out, we kept our eyes open for just the right thing.

Y’all, the views of the Oregon coast are breathtaking, and photographs, of course, can’t do them justice. But the photographers and artists whose spectacular works filled the galleries in the village made a fine effort.

So in the end, we landed on a beach photo in split frames that we planned to place above our bed. The shopkeeper took our money and our address and assured us that our treasure would safely arrive in Texas within a couple of weeks. We enjoyed the last day of vacation then headed home to the summer heat.

And sure enough, one afternoon we found two large crates parked on our porch. We carefully brought them into the house, mindful that after traveling halfway across the country, it would be painful irony for us to be the ones who cracked the glass or bent the frames. Mr. Vick has just enough engineering blood in his body that he was able to figure out how to hang the two frames level and with the proper spacing. (I always figured, if need be, we could just scoot the bed over to center the frames. He was not amused – but he was insulted.)

Once our lovely beach scene adorned our bedroom wall, we grabbed a couple of pillows, propped them against the footboard of our bed, turned on the sound machine to “ocean,” and stared at the photos – no talking allowed. And for a few minutes, we were back in Oregon. SOME SOUVENIR!

We planned that trip five months in advance. We researched and made our list of things we wanted to see and do. We made our reservations and then just dreamed about it. We’d never been there before so we were a little anxious about what it would be like. Five months of anticipation…

Then as we drove into the village and looked down the side streets – oh, my word! There was the Pacific Ocean! Every ounce of anxiety and second-guessing our decision to go there – GONE! On some vacations, you finally get into relaxation mode about the time you have to pack up and go home. Not this one! Thirty minutes after we arrived, we practically forgot everything we left behind!

Friends, as great as this vacation was, there’s a destination that rivals it by 1,000 times infinity! Arriving in heaven – now that’s a destination! You’ve read all of the Scriptures. You’ve attempted with your finite imagination to picture the grandeur and splendor. You’ve wondered what your new heaven-designed body will be capable of. You’ve daydreamed about just how amazing it will be to exist in the presence of your beloved Jesus. You’ve longed for the peace and joy and rest of heaven that all of the promises point to. You’ve been a little nervous about the journey to the Kingdom, but you’re seriously looking forward to leaving behind the troubles of this world.

You long for a place you’ve never been. C.S. Lewis says it best: “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

One day, Christian, you’ll breathe your last breath here and inhale the aroma of heaven. Your heart will stop, and the power of the Holy Spirit will revive you. The physical pain and weakness of your body will be replaced by wholeness and strength. The pure strains of heaven’s choir will so fill your soul with adoration that you’ll be compelled to join in – “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isaiah 6:3) The journey will be over – you will be Home. And in the twinkling of an eye, you will have forgotten everything you left behind! This is not a vacation – this is eternity for God’s children!

I pray that this is the future you’re excitedly anticipating! (After all, you’ve waited a lifetime!) And I pray that if it’s not, you won’t waste another minute before talking with someone who can point you to God’s great rescue plan.

“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” – Psalm 16:11

“The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. 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 25:8-9

“ ‘In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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

“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 21:4-5

“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

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” – Philippians 3:20-21

“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 chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, 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 pure gold, like 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