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Pohnpei, Part 6: Longings


I'm thinking about Pohnpei tonight, listening to music and sorting through photos.  This photo, taken on Willie island in Ant Atoll, really speaks to me.  (You might wish to click on it and look at it closer.)  The two island you see have significance to me.  The one on the right comes around to the right to the channel.  I first fell in love with snorkelling there.  On the far left, of the left hand island is the place where we spent the night after our boat crashed on the reef, 25 years ago.  Between the two islands you can see the silhouette of the Pohnpei mainland, with a touch of a rainbow setting it off.  I love this place.  I can't get it out of my mind ever since I've come home.  I've been to some place close to paradise, and I've had to leave it again.  But it is not just about the beauty of the lush tropical island.  It's those kids at school, and those people at the church.   They are held deep in my heart. 

I think I have a little glimpse of what it might be like for Jesus to be separated so long from the ones He loves so much.  He left the beauty of heaven to come down to our mess to show us how much He and the Father love us.  He hates it when bad things happens to any of us, and He has a plan to bring all the bad to an end.  He wants to get us all together in a beautiful place, His house, where we will never have to say good-bye again. 

I can see Pohnpei only in photographs right now.  But it's real place, with real people.  I haven't been to heaven yet, but I know enough of Jesus' promises personally coming true in my life, that I know it's real too.  And God is real.  I'm aching for these deep longings in my heart, for peace, beauty, and relationship to be satisfied.  And now I know that God is aching too.  He can't wait, and He is doing all possible to make sure it happens soon.  My heart longs for heaven, but how much more Jesus longs to be with me and you. 

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  1. HeidiApril 19, 2013 at 11:30 AM

    Mmmmm....beautiful thoughts.

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  2. ~MelissaApril 19, 2013 at 1:21 PM

    Barbara, this is a beautiful photo. I will have to go back and read some of your older posts... I lost your blog a while back. My daughter's fiance went to Pohnpei for student missionary work. He got back last year in May. I saw some pictures, but I will enjoy seeing yours as well, as it will fill in some of the holes that I've heard stories about.

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