More Than a Ticket to Heaven

ByBeth Simpson

The purpose for salvation is more than a ticket to Heaven. It is intimacy with God. It is getting to know Him and love Him – He who first loved us (1 John 4). Being born and raised in a Spirit-filled, Bible-teaching Church, my first word may have been Mama, but my second was in tongues. I grew up learning to read from worship songs projected on a screen. At home, I would sing and dance all over the house, and the only songs I knew (outside of Elvis and Buddy Holly) were worship songs. I would line my stuffed animals and dolls up and teach them the lessons I learned in Sunday School and later preach to my twin brother and younger sister to be good and not sin. I’ve always loved God and always loved to worship and share with those who would listen to what God has done for me. 

There was one time when I was walking on my family’s 40 acres in Altha, FL, just praying to and praising God, that God showed me how much He loved me. I used to walk for hours through the woods, and it would just be me and Jesus. This particular time, however, in the middle of my prayer I paused and thought “it would be cool to see a deer out in the woods.” I then went straight back to praying and didn’t think anything further of it. It wasn’t long before I made my way along the neighbor’s fence line that I heard a rustling in the woods coming from my neighbor’s property. I looked up and saw a white-tailed deer walk right up to the fence. It stood there, completely unafraid, as though it had been waiting for me. I smiled from ear to ear. I walked right up to that deer and pet it. It wanted me to pet it. It stood there like a dog enjoying a good rub. I probably stood there ten minutes with that deer, thanking God the whole time. 

I had merely asked God to see a deer and He said why not pet one, too! It was such a wonderful moment, coming to a greater knowing of His love for me.