Pastor Perspective

“Aberdeen…my favorite place”
by Mike Hill, pastor of Calvary Chapel Aberdeen (mjhill@ida.net)

“The Happiest Place on Earth” was within a few miles.  Sunshine year-long.  Within minutes, I could be at the beach.  Shopping malls from a stone throw’s away.  Sound too good to be true?  I did have a great time living in Southern California, but it wasn’t my favorite place to live.  What tops my list of best places to live?  Aberdeen.  I love it here.  My kids are able to have exposure to all kinds of animals through 4-H here.  My wife finds solace in her own garden of Eden with the two huge gardens in our yard.  We’re in our “dream home.”  I have the greatest family in the world.  I know lots of great people in this town.  Yeah, Aberdeen is my favorite place to live…but not my final place.

Now, I’m not making plans to move somewhere else any time soon.  However, ultimately, I’m just passing through.  Abraham was given a promised land by God.  But, he held onto it loosely.  Why?  Abraham knew he was on a journey, just passing through.  Where was his final place?  What does the Bible, God’s Word say?  “By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:9-10).

My house in Aberdeen is my temporary dwelling place, my “tent,” as I look forward through the eyes of faith to my final dwelling place in heaven with God.  Do you have this hope?

For genuine believers, Jesus said He’s preparing them their final place.  The only way to that place is through Him.  “‘Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.’ Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (John 14:1-6). 

Aberdeen is my favorite place, but not my final place.  Jesus is preparing a place for me.  Imagine what it will be like!  It only took six days for the Lord Jesus to create the universe (John 1:1-3).  He’s been gone for almost 2,000 years.  He’s been preparing me a place for a long time.  What an awesome final place that will be!