From desert to garden!

(J.R. Miller)

In traveling to California, we passed over hundreds of miles of the dreariest desert. The hot sands glowed and burned under the sun's rays. Rain scarcely ever falls, and nothing grows on the arid wastes except straggling sagebush and wild cacti. On and on our train rolled, hour after hour, amid choking dust and unrelieved desolation.

At length, however, we began to pass into the first fringes of luxuriance, and soon we were in the midst of the garden splendors of Southern California — flowers, fragrance, and fruit, masses of roses and flowers of all kinds, orange groves, clumps of ornamental trees, vineyards, and palm trees. In an hour we had left behind us the dreary desert — and had entered the richest garden luxuriance of the world!
 
It is just so with many Christians, in leaving this poor world for Heaven. Here on earth are trials, afflictions, struggles, strifes, bitter tears, disappointments, injustices, hardships and cares. Life seems all desert to these desert toilers. No springs of fresh water burst up along the way to refresh them. Nothing grows in the hot arid fields, to be food for their heart hunger.
 
What must Heaven be to these weary ones, when they enter it — leaving forever behind them, the dreary desolation of this world? In an hour they will pass from the heat, strife, and bitterness of earthly sorrow — into the eternal blessedness, the perfect love, and the unbroken joy of Heaven!
 

"In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are eternal pleasures!" Psalm 16:11 

"No eye has seen,
 no ear has heard, and
 no mind has imagined —
 what God has prepared for those who love Him!" 1 Corinthians 2:9