"Heaven is For Real"

"And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul."

For the first time ever, I sang these lyrics with true fervor and excitement, all as a result of a little boy's testimony.  Ever since I was a little girl, I have feared "end times" or any discussion on the Lord's return.  I struggled with this internal battle of being afraid and feeling guilty that I did not long for the Lord's return. My husband had to jokingly put me on probation from these discussions at times.  I confess I still struggle with fear and worry, though a little boy's conviction and trust shook my faith in a radical way.

Please understand that I am a skeptic in many ways. I hear stories of others being healed, having dreams and visions, speaking in tongues; believing that the Lord is very capable of doing such things, just to turn around and critically judge every story I hear.  I purchased "90 Minutes in Heaven" to only read a few pages before boxing the book up, thinking the story was simply fabricated.  However, a similar book, "Heaven is For Real" struck me in a new way.  The difference, I can place the family in context and trust a few different people who say the father telling the story is a credible man.  Personally, I believe this story is very real, as I also believe "Heaven is For Real". 

In short, a little boy's appendix burst and went untreated as the doctors misread his symptoms.  During surgery, the little boy recounts his visit to Heaven.  I was personally convicted a number of times in reading this story, two moments I want to revisit.  First was when Colton tells his parents how he saw them from Heaven while his earthly dad brokenly cried out to the Father and his mother made calls to place her son on the prayer chain, facts that no one witnessed or discussed.  Later in the story Colton tells his dad that he was with the Holy Spirit praying for him because he was so distraught.  God's Word tells us that His Spirit intercedes on our behalf when we do not know what to pray.  I have known this was true for years, but what a vivid reminder that this very day I have the Holy Spirit fighting on my behalf. 

Second, Colton makes reference to Armageddon.  I believe the comment I am remembering is when Colton's father asks if he was scared.  Colton asnwered, "Yes, but Jesus wins."  Colton made a few other comments that so purely exemplefied the faith of a child that Christ speaks about in His Word.  Again, a simple truth I'd already known but so powerful.  As I mentioned before, I have always known God wins and yet I have lived in fear.  I know, "perfect love drives out fear," but I do not live freely.  Something in reading this modern day testiment of Heaven sparked a new fire in me, one that made me excited for the Lord's return.  It was such a beautiful story of what we cannot see and a reminder of what I am to be longing for.  Now, I can truly say,

"And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul."