Dear Pacific Union Member,

In the King James Version of Proverbs 29:18, Solomon says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." As Seventh-day Adventists, we have a collective vision. Our vision is captured in our name. We are Adventists, people who yearningly anticipate, purposely prepare for, and actively seek to hasten the second coming, or advent, of Jesus. We believe Jesus when He told His disciples, "I will come again" (John 14:3). We believe in the prophetic revelation of John, who quotes Jesus exclaiming three times in the last chapter of Revelation: "Behold, I am coming soon!" (Rev. 22:7 NIV), "Behold, I am coming soon!" (v. 12), and "Yes, I am coming soon" (v. 20).

What does a personal or corporate vision do for us? Is it important for us as individuals, families, churches, schools or conferences to have a vision? I personally think it is vitally important. Here is why.

Few would argue with the assertion that we are largely shaped by our past. For example, I am a Hispanic, born in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado. I was born there because in 1598 my Spanish and Sephardic Jewish ancestors, many seeking to escape the persecution of the Spanish Inquisition, settled at the fork of the Rio Grande and Chama Rivers in what is now Espanola, New Mexico, some 80 miles south of Capulin, Colorado, my birthplace.

But while my past does indeed influence and shape my present, I humbly suggest that my vision of the future has much greater influence on my present than does my past.

My vision of the future directs my decisions for the allocation of my time, talents and treasure. I was fourteen when I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior and the Lord of my life. I longed for Jesus to return. I thought He would return before I graduated from Golden Gate Academy. As a teen in the Hayward Church, I volunteered for outreach activities through my youth Sabbath School and through the Missionary Volunteer Society. My vision and passion for the second coming guided my adolescent years and all of the years since.

Our vision for the future influences our decisions for life partners and life work. I wanted to be a teacher and minister because I wanted to work with young people and help them love Jesus and prepare for His second coming. Our vision of the future influences how we educate our children. A transcendent vision of the future gives meaning and purpose to our lives. Helping others to love Jesus and training them to win their family and friends has filled me with joy. A vision of the second coming can enable us to survive personal and family tragedies. The power of our vision of the future—to influence decisions today—demands that we have a vision that is grounded in biblical truth.

It is for this reason that I commend to you personally the vision of the second advent of Jesus.

Julia Ward Howe wrote "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" in 1861. This popular Civil War hymn contains the words, "Mine eyes has seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." Have your eyes seen the glory of the coming of Jesus? Has your family seen the glory of the coming of our Savior? Has your school seen the glory of the coming of the Friend of children and youth? Has your church seen the glory of the coming of our compassionate and understanding High Priest? Has your conference seen the glory of the coming of our King of Kings?

My prayer is that our Father will open our eyes today and give each of us a clear vision of the coming of His Son.

Yours for a finished work NOW,

Arnold