David stepped out of the car and the first thing that overwhelmed him was the blaring heat of the sun and the sweet, fresh smell of pine.
“If only we could bottle that smell and sell it,” David thought.
A few minutes later David was knee deep in the cold water of the cove at June Lake. Although the water was cold it was refreshing and the coarse granite sand under his feet felt like tiny fingers massaging his toes. A cool breeze picked up as a few clouds blocked the fierce heat of the summer sun.
Even though it was August the wildflowers were still in full bloom. Indian paint brush, starfire, lupine and dozens of yellow composites that he couldn’t identify. Snow filled the steep crevices and valleys between the rugged Sierra mountain peaks. Streams were cascading down over the rough rocks and sounded like a group of people engaged in a loud conversation.
It was time to begin their hike up into alpine meadows. The trail was not well maintained and David had to keep his eyes out for rocks in order that he wouldn’t stumble. The trail wound up and up and then switched back and forth to finally reach another lake higher in elevation.
Along the trail Rush Creek fell and tumbled polishing the solid granite chute which turned and curved around a series of steep cliff. Birds of all types spent their time gathering food, sunning themselves and building nests. All was as it should be and everything had its place.
David thought about God. He was not a religious person, that is one who spouted bible verses out of context, no he just looked at the perfection around him and thanked God for it. In fact as he climbed from 7,000 feet up to 9,500 feet everything just became more beautiful, more interwoven in a beautiful tapestry of smells, shapes and textures.
“I wonder if heaven is like this?” He reasoned that the further in you go the bigger it gets!
Finally, he reached alpine meadows. Deer were busy grazing on the lush green grass as a doe and her fawn walked right in front of David’s path. Ducks made noise as the flew into a nearby lake.
David thought how good God is and how well planed His creation actually was. David thanked his Heavenly Father for all this goodness then lay his sleeping bag out to sleep.
In the morning David continued his accent up into the vast Sierra wilderness. The quaking aspens shimmered in the breeze as David watched a falcon swoop in and out of the trees.
Below him Lake Agnew shimmered In the sun. Wind waves sent criss crossed semi circular patterns across the surface of the water.
There was purpose for every thing under the sun and David praised God once again. He started thinking about what his pastor had taught last Sunday “That even though you might have to crawl through the valley, you eventually arrive at the mountain top.”
The hike had taught David that the journey is the destination. There was so many things to see, so many people to listen to and so much to do. That relationships are all that really matter.
David knew that the only things he would be taking with him to heaven were the relationships he made while here on earth. The hike had showed him many things, wonders and that God had a plan for everything.
So the closer we get to the end of the trail we know that there is much, much more for us. Heaven is waiting for all who put their trust in God’s plan of salvation. Although here on earth we will have trials and tribulations our future is full of the brightness and goodness of Jesus Christ.
Our God has everything in control. He loves us very much. So take care to remember that as you hike, no as you trudge through life, that His glory awaits you there!
