Several weeks ago, I stood on the beach at Sfakia in Crete.  For me this was a very moving experience, something I had been looking forward to for many months.  Those of you who have visited Sfakia will know that it is a beautiful location on the south coast of Crete.  It’s not a large place and today it’s very much geared up for holiday makers.  There are a number of hotels, delightful eating places, a small harbour and a beach. You may be wondering why I found Sfakia to be a moving experience.  What was it about this  spot that so impressed me?  Well, it was all to do with the beach.  On 30^th May, 1941 my father was evacuated from here during the Battle of Crete.   In later life he often spoke about the experience of wading out into the sea with his rifle above his head and of the difficulty he had in clambering up the rope ladders onto the waiting Royal Navy ship.    If you study the details of the Battle of Crete you will realise that, harrowing though his experience of evacuation was, he was fortunate to have got away.

To stand where my Dad stood 84 years ago was special. The contrast with 1941 is stark, for today Sfakia is a picture of tranquility.  Bloodshed, war, conflict and division have been replaced by peace, beauty, safety and calm.  The place, of course, is still recognisable but the atmosphere is very different.

In many ways this is a picture of the difference between life on earth and life in heaven.  As we look out on our world just now, we see serious division, bloodshed, suffering, war and conflict.  There is a possibility that the war in the Middle East may be drawing to a close but this is by no means certain and we are waiting with baited breath to see if the fragile ceasefire will hold.  Despite many efforts being made to broker a peace agreement the war between Ukraine and Russia is continuing with many suffering indescribable hardship and deprivation.

However, we who are followers of Jesus know that a great future – a contrasting future – lies ahead for us. Conflict and war are front and central in our news bulletins everyday but the Bible tells us that in heaven there will peace and tranquillity.  We can look forward to being with Christ in the glory of the new heavens and the new earth where ‘righteousness dwells’ (2 Peter3: 13)    There ‘the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat.’ (Isaiah 11:6)    Chaos will give way to order.  Turmoil will be replaced by peace.  Conflict will be no more.  John  tells us that ‘death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ (Revelation 21:4)

No, it’s not ‘pie in the sky’.  It’s the clear teaching of Scripture.  If you have a living faith in Jesus as your Saviour and Lord then this is your future.  Be encouraged.  The best is yet to be.

Gareth Burke