GOD & TEXAS: Is Texas Heaven?

“Between Heaven and Texas, there's a sky that goes on forever. On cloudless mornings after a norther has blown through, the sky is such a perfect cobalt blue that you forget the "between" and know that heaven is Texas, or Texas is heaven—it doesn't really matter which.” These words were written by noted photographer Wyman Meinzer in his acclaimed book “Between Heaven and Texas.”

It seems that Texas has been compared to Heaven on many occasions. Early settlers came to Texas after hearing glowing reports of virgin forests, plentiful rivers, rolling prairies, and majestic mountains. From the bountiful fruit trees of north Texas to the warm Gulf waters teeming with aquatic life, Texas seemed like Heaven!

Consider the pecan. Some call it a nut and others call it a drupe. But pecan aficionado Monikue Cooper says that pecans “are like manna from Heaven. God drops the blessings at our feet and all we have to do is pick them up.” In 1919, the pecan tree was adopted as the official tree of Texas because pecans are so important to our culture.

True Texans revere the Kisatchie Wold, a continuous ridge of clearly marked hills that stretch from the Mississippi River floodplain to the Rio Grande valley. Long before settlers arrived in Texas, the Coushatta Indians established a trail along the Kisatchie Wold for hunting and trading expeditions. Called the “Coushatta Trace” by Stephen F. Austin’s colonists, it served as a major route for commerce in early Texas.

In 1919, Caroline Dormon, an educator from Louisiana, was assigned to teach in a school district near the Kisatchie Wold. In her memoirs, Dormon detailed her feelings as she saw the Kisatchie Wold area for the first time. She wrote, “Over the rolling hills we round, through mile after mile of majestic longleaf pine forests. It was Heaven!”

At one time, there actually was a Texas town named “Heaven.” Located south of Muleshoe and west of Lubbock, Heaven was organized in 1924. But Heaven lost the rights to become the Cochran County seat to the neighboring town of Morton. Heaven was abandoned in 1925 and remains deserted.

On several occasions Texas and Heaven were linked in country songs. Artist Tanya Tucker sang, “When I die I may not go to heaven, I don't know if they let cowboys in. If they don't just let me go to Texas, boys, 'Cause Texas is as close as I've been.”

Texas is an awesome place to live. But it is not Heaven. Heaven is partially described in Revelation 21:18-21 NLT, “The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones!” WOW!

Heaven is where God dwells. Jesus is the celestial Light, and the angels worship Him. Heaven is the permanent inheritance of all who trust in Christ as Savior. Heaven is real and a big step up from Texas!

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