I Can Only Imagine

It was a sunnny Sunday morning and young Tommy  sat in the morning worship next to his mother and father, brother and sisters and his grandmother.  They were visiting her church and grandmother's church did not offer children's church,  so he had to sit in the adult service.  He did not want to say that the preacher was boring but he was used to the fast paced children's program at his home church, where everything was geared to his young mind and short attention span.  

There was one thing that attracted his attention.  It was the large stained glass window in the sanctuary.  It was the scene of the resurrection of Jesus.  Tommy knew the story well, for even though he was only 12, his parents had taken him to church all his life and he was a pretty good Bible  scholar, even if he said so himself.  

The sun was so bright and warm, young Tommy soon began to drift into that blissful land of dreams, the place that many of us have traveled to at church when the sun warms our bodies and we sit still for a while.  Soon Tommy closed his eyes without realizing it and he was asleep in church.  His mother and father smiled as the noticed his head drop to his chin.

Suddenly the light seemed extremely bright in Tommy's eyes.  He blinked in the face of the bright light and even raised his hand to cover his eyes.  That was when he heard a familiar voice, a voice he had known all his life, a voice that he had loved to hear call his name.  It was his grandfather's voice calling out to him.  

He could not believer his ears, grandfather had died last year.   Tommy had been to this very church with all his family for the funeral.  Tommy and his grandfather had been best buddies.  Tommy was the oldest grandchild and they had developed a great bond.  Grandpa did not love Tommy more than the others, it was just that there a special between them.

Grandpa spoke to Tommy  "Tommy, how are you buddy?  I just wanted you to know that heaven is wonderful.  Oh Tommy, I thought I knew what beautiful was, but Tommy heaven is beautiful.  I can't even tell you what is is like, it is so wonderful.  And Tommy! Jesus  is more loving than I could ever had imagined.  You are just drawn to Him, to look and listen to Himand when he calls your name, when he speaks to you, Tommy , is it more wonderful than I can tell."

"Tommy, promise me that you will join me in heaven someday.  It will only be a few moments and time will end for you and you will spend eternity somewhere.  Tommy, be sure you come to heaven with me.  We will have a wonderful eternity together and I want you to meet Jesus, oh Tommy, I want to be there when He calls your name.  Promise me that you will join me in heaven."

In his dream, tommy spoke to his grandfather.  "Papa, I promise, we will be together in heaven.  I promise."

"Tommy, wake up.  church is over.  It's time to go."

Later, in the car, one of Tommy's brothers made a comment about Tommy sleeping through the service but Tommy quickly spoke up.

"You can't even imagine what happened to me at church today."