I spent the weekend at Hume Lake with my husband, son, and in-laws. Matt grew up going Hume every summer, so it holds a special pace for him, but I never felt at home in his grandparents’ old, rustic cabin. Since that cabin is no longer in our immediate family, my mother-in-law, Lynne, has spent the last several months building a new cabin at Hume. As she built the cabin, she designed three floors, one for her and her husband, and one for each of her two sons and their families. She has been stressing for months over this project and it hasn’t been easy for her or any of us to have her away most of the time. I have to admit, I’ve often wondered whether it was going to be worth the high personal, financial, and relational cost my in-laws have paid. I mean, it’s just a cabin, right?

Now that the cabin is almost complete, it was time to see it. When we arrived at the cabin, it still looked like a construction zone from the outside with dirt and debris piled up, so I would have never guessed what lay inside. It was incredible! On our floor, there were many little touches that spoke of the careful planning and thought through the whole process: special lights that looked like lanterns, rocking chairs, retro appliances, and splashes of red everywhere. All of these things are special because they reflect my husband and I. It’s clear Lynne was thinking about and prepared this place for us. It was her joy to share it with us. The other floors are reflective of their occupants, too. Any questions I had as to whether it was worth the cost were gone. This is indeed a special place. It’s home.

As I lay in bed our first night at the cabin, I remembered Jesus’s words to his disciples just before his arrest and crucifixion:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3)

“I am going to prepare a place for you.”

I’m not sure that the place Jesus is preparing will have red accents and a lodge theme (though that would be awesome), but the experience of coming to the place Lynne prepared for us has taught me something: the place Jesus is preparing will be far beyond my expectations. If the cabin blew me away; how much more will the place Jesus is preparing? It is all too easy for me to forget that the reality of heaven will be far grander than anything I can imagine. I know I will be in awe of what he has done.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if there were perfect touches that reflected the fact that Jesus knows me and loves me. But even if my place doesn’t reflect me, I know for certain it will reflect the Lord’s glory. The place Jesus has prepared through his death and resurrection is in the Father’s radiant presence, which will bring joy we can’t even begin to comprehend.

As time passes and Jesus hasn’t returned, it’s easy to be discouraged and begin to wonder whether persevering in faith is worth it. Will it be worth the cost? The darling Hume cabin reminds me that when I’m in the place Jesus has prepared for me, the answer will be an emphatic “YES!”