The far view

by Muriel Larson

My husband was considering a pastorate in a country church. The couple with whom we were staying overnight took us to see the parsonage. I couldn't believe my eyes! It was an old, partly whitewashed, pieced-together shack with a tin roof. It was about the most disreputable-looking place I had ever seen.

"It doesn't look like much on the outside," said the lady apologetically, "but it's not too bad on the inside."

"And it does have hot and cold running water, and an indoor bathroom," added the man. At the time, I didn't realize that was more than some parishioners had.

Then the lady tapped me on the shoulder. "Turn around," she said, "and look!" She waved her arm in a sweeping motion. "Isn't that the most gorgeous view you have ever seen?"

We looked out from that high ridge upon miles and miles of fields, trees and valleys. That view almost took our breath away, it was so majestic.

My husband was called by the church and accepted the pastorate. His salary was very low, but farm products such as meat and vegetables were given by the people. A wood-burning stove in the living room heated the four rooms of the parsonage.

We had resident black spiders about as big as a quarter. Also, that area was known as rattlesnake country.

But oh, the far view! How it thrilled and rested my soul to look out at it for any and all reasons! During the winter, the dark outline of trees stood out starkly from the sparkling white snow, with an intensely blue sky overhead. During the spring, wherever one looked, one could see the white and pink blossoms of apple and cherry trees, the lime green of freshly budded foliage, and new shoots of corn coming up in the fields. In the summer, the corn grew tall, the blackberries down in the valley ripened, and cows grazed contentedly. In the fall, the maples were a riot of colour, as were the sunsets. Yes, the far view was beautiful!

For the person who lives for Jesus Christ, so also is the far view beautiful: "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (II Corinthians 4:17-18).

If we live for this life only, we may enjoy temporal conveniences and pleasures. But if, through reading God's Word, we get a glimpse of the glory awaiting those who suffer with and for Christ, then the beautiful far view will keep our eyes on the goal our Lord has set for us. Wouldn't we have more peace and joy in our lives if we would get our eyes off our present distressing circumstances and rest them on the far view?

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