In Heaven

Joy pulsated through me as I looked around, and at that moment I became aware of a large crowd of people.  They stood in front of a brilliant, ornate gate.  I have no idea how far away they were; such things as distance didn't matter.  As the crowd rushed toward me, I didn't see Jesus, but I did see people I had known . . . their presence seemed absolutely natural.  

They rushed toward me, and every person was smiling, shouting, and praising God.  Although no one said so, intuitively I knew they were my celestial welcoming committee.  It was as if they had all gathered just outside heaven's gate, waiting for me . . .

 . . . and as I stared into his face, an ecstatic bliss overwhelmed me.  I didn't think about his . . . death, because I couldn't get past the joy of our reunion.  How either of us reached heaven seemed irrelevant . . .

 . . .When I attended his funeral, I wondered if I would ever stop crying.  I couldn't understand why God had taken [him].  Through the years since then, I had never been able to forget the pain and sense of loss.  Not that I thought of him all the time, but when I did, sadness came over me.

Now I saw [him] in heaven.  As he slipped [his hand in mine], my pain and grief vanished.  Never had I seen [him] smile so brightly.  I still didn't know why, but the joyousness of the place wiped away any questions.  Everything felt blissful.  Perfect . . .

~from 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper