Choir Members

“When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song”

Revelation 5:8-9


My brother in law Tim went home to be with the Lord last night after a long hard fought battle with cancer. As I was praying for his wife, my sister in law Michelle a song came to mind that I pray dominates her own thinking today. The song by MercyMe is titled, “I Can Only Imagine” and the words of the song are as follows,

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk by Your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes would see
When Your face is before me
I can only imagine
Yeah

Surrounded by Your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You Jesus
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in Your presence
Or to my knees, will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son
I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship You
I can only imagine, yeah
I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine, yeah
I can only imagine
Surrounded by Your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees, will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine, yeah
I can only imagine
I can only imagine, yeah-yeah
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship You
I can only imagine (song ends)


Believing that Tim is in the very presence of God this morning as the word declares “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” Tim knows in reality what this song sings of and what you and I still here on earth only know by faith. I’m sure many of Tim’s family and friends will be thinking about heaven today and wondering what Tim is up too. Some might be thinking, I pray he is there? The good news for Tim is he is at home with the Lord today because he understood that the only way to heaven is by placing your hope and trust in Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord. No one is good enough to get into heaven on their own merit as we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We are saved by God’s grace through faith and Tim placed his faith in Jesus. As I was reading the book of Revelation this morning I was reminded that singing is the big business of heaven so as I imagine my brother in law today I picture him singing at the top of his lungs.

The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of what took place when heaven met earth at the birth of Jesus. Its no wonder then why there are so many Christmas songs. Singing and worship in particular are the natural expression and response to the glory of God. If you have ever contemplated what heaven is like all you have to do is read the apostle John’s account in the book of Revelation and you quickly learn there is a lot of singing taking place. First you have the four creatures and then 24 elders joining in as the numbers just keep growing until John see’s in Revelation 5:11, “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,” Thats a big choir!

In the Lord’s prayer that Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:10, we read, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” If you have ever wondered what is going on in heaven at any given moment one thing we know for certain is there is singing. Singing God’s praise is one way we can be in the will of God and aligning ourselves with the activity taking place in heaven right now.

As I think about Tim this morning my heart hurts for our family and Tim’s friends but I can’t help but smile at the same time knowing Tim is no longer in pain, actually the opposite as he is singing God’s praises this morning, fully alive, experiencing the fullness of joy! So, knowing God inhabits the praises of His people and knowing heaven is singing the praises of God today I’m convinced the best way we can stay connected with those who have gone before us is to worship and praise the Lord, to sing out loud His praises and to join in the song of heaven today as a member of the choir.  


“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”


Luke 2:13-14


I LOVE YOU!