Where the Scenery Changes

I traveled through the Columbia River Gorge this week on my way to a conference. As I drove, I realized I was watching for the moments when the scenery changes: city to rolling forest hills, forests to tree-lined cliffs, tree-lined cliffs to stark rock face, and right at the end of the scenic area, the change from stark rock face to brown hills dotted with sagebrush and windmills.

The Columbia River Gorge might be my favorite place to drive. The river gives a continuity to the changing landscape around it, and I am fascinated by the way the colors reflect off the water, making it seem to change colors along with the variations of sky and landscape.

But as I thought about this tendency to watch for the change from one type of scenery to the next, I also realized that my anticipation of the next scenery isn’t limited to driving—I also watch for the scenery changes when I fly.

It doesn’t matter where I am going or whether I have been there before—I am always watching for that moment when the scenery changes.

Isn’t that just like our life in Christ? We watch, not just for the next scene of our earthly lives, but for that one, glorious, unimaginable moment when we exchange earth for heaven, sin-marred life for life eternal with God in heaven.

And it’s not just our surroundings that will change, but our bodies as well:

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

1 Corinthians 15:51-55

In that moment, either at death or the rapture, we will exchange earth for heaven, our corruptible, sin-riddled flesh for a new sinless heavenly body. Imagine the joy! That is the moment we look for as we watch the scenery of this life fly past, waiting with eager anticipation for the moment when the grand, glorious change will come.

Dear Reader, are you caught up in watching for the earthly scenery to change, or are your eyes looking further, focused on the joy Christ has promised you in His presence? Ask God to refresh your anticipation as you fix your focus on all He has promised you in eternity to come.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Revelation 21:1-5