One day in heaven with our friend Paul

Our friend Paul loved building grand pianos.While he wasn't real gifted with hands in his earthly body when he got to heaven he quickly realize that he could do things in his new heavenly body he could never do in the earthly one. Since he always loved the sound the piano which was likely the result of going to his children's piano recitals, or listening to them play the moment he reentered the home after a day at the office he knew he wanted his job in heaven to be one where he made these masterpieces of sound.




Paul took a break from his work making his way out doors where he could listen to the crisp sounds of the song birds forever chirping it's melody as though they were playing their version of a piano piece. Paul waved to his little friends in the distance as they climbed the trees he learned previously they could never climb in their earthly existence because of a physical infirmity. His young friends waved back to him while doing amazing acrobatic tricks in the tree like hanging upside down from a high tree branch or walking on a tree branch like the guy he remembers walking across the Grand Canyon on a thin wire with nothing but his out stretched arms to balance him.\




He took in the view of the colorful waterfall in the distance as it careened down the jutted rock surface. His eyes took in the beautiful flowers that bloomed all year round with it's rich aroma of fragance that were a smorgasbord for his senses. He heard church bells in the distance that reminded him that a new arrival was having his or her own heavenly home coming




He watched people hanging welcome home banners and blowing up balloons to welcome them. On this side of heaven there was a lot celebrating when someone enters this place. There was no mourning, no crying, no grief on this side. Paul often wished loved ones on earth could get a glimpse into this place like a kid looking through a knot hole at a baseball game he couldn't afford to see. Maybe those who were still alive in their earthly bodies would be more fervent in sharing their faith with friends and family around them.




Paul knew from talking to Jesus that just as Jesus came to him the day he died Jesus would speak to his friends and family in ways that can only be thought of as a miracle. He could imagine that his earthly wife would be fully engaged in life and attending bible studies at church and using the loss of her earthly husband to lead others to Christ. Paul knew there was no better impact in presenting the gospel than to remind people that everyone of us will have to stand in the judgement seat and being accountable for every thought, word and deed and just when they feel the most helpless and fearful of their fate they are reminded that Jesus took their place in this judgement seat.




Paul thought of his son and the impact he is having on his high school friends and wondered if any of them came to a new found faith because of his little sister's and his dad's homecoming. A little yellow song bird landed on his head at that moment which was common in this place. Heaven was a place where wild life freely roamed and where there was no fear of getting bitten.




Straight ahead he noticed a group of people gathering around a small group of musicians. As he got closer he noticed it was one of the many small informal worship groups singing wonderful praise songs to God. As he walked closer he heard the song as it came out of the mouths of believers: "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.


Paul knew those lyrics. Every time he sang that melody he was reminded of the moment he came to Christ and how it had been at a Billy Graham Crusade that his parents took him too. He remembers hearing a powerful message presented by Reverend Graham which was followed by a testimony of a professional athlete who had come to Christ.

So moved was he that he could barely retain himself when Mr. Graham asked the people to come to the front no matter where you were in that stadium. He was just barely 10 at the time and when the invitation was made he remembers looking back at mom and dad and how they both encouraged him to go forward by walking with him in this God filled moment.

 As he remembered that moment tears streamed down his eyes.'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed. This time he sang those words along with the hundred's who had gathered at this impromptu time of worship. This was by far his favorite time in heaven.

Heaven was a place where fear never reigns and where men, woman and children didn't have to worry for their safety like they did on earth. Heaven was a place of calm, a place of harmonious living. Not the harmonious living that the New Age religion espouses with it's incense burning and mantra chanting. The kind of living that is only made possible because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Heaven was a place where celebrations were common when a new person made their entrance here. If only their loved ones could see them now, but then he reminds himself that is why the Church exists on earth. That is why everyday men and woman are called to serve as Pastors and teachers of the word to feed those who are hungry to know Christ more. When the worship is done for the moment Paul makes his way back to his shop taking a longer cut by a meandering stream with it's water that is so crystal clear and sweet smelling and where he could see fish swimming along as though they were going the same direction as him. He saw his piano shop and noticed that his three friends were waiting for him. He waved toward them and picked up his pace to see them. That was another day in heaven with our friend Paul.