A Good Friday...

One year ago today, my Dad passed from death into life.  Let me share with you what he experienced.

He left his body behind on March 29th, 2012 at 7:19pm.  

Somehow, he found himself before a city.  The first thing he did was walk up past the gates of thanksgiving, where the prayers of the faithful followers of the King frame the entrance to His kingdom.  He strutted with purpose through the courts of praise, where the praises of all His children blossom into a fragrant aroma that fills a garden in the court of this King.

And then, as he walked through the courts, he came to a door, it was standing open in front of him.  As he walked through, he arrived

at a throne room.

Even as he approached, he first heard the sounds of four angels singing:

“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, Who Was, and Is, and Is to come.”  

As he walked through the door, he saw these angels flying around the throne.

He then laid his eyes on a massive throne, and before it was like a sea of glass and above it was a emerald rainbow.  And from the throne there were flashes of thunder.  And as his eyes descended to the seat, my Dad saw the One sitting on the throne

Jesus.

He was clothed with robe stretching to His feet, across His chest was a golden sash, representing his status as King.  His head and hair were glowing white, like freshly fallen snow.  His eyes burned like fire, His feet were like bronze that is heated in a furnace, glowing red hot.  His voice was like a thousand waves crashing.  And He glowed brighter than the sun.

And Jesus looked on my father on that day and proclaimed:

“Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.  

Well done, my good and faithful servant.  You were faithful with a few things, now I will put you in charge of many things.  Come, enter into the joy of my Kingdom.”

And my Dad has been ceaselessly worshiping Jesus since that second.  Everything he does, all of the things that he cares and tends for in the Kingdom, are all for the love of the King.

The fact that today’s anticipation fell on March 29th is simply yet another reason why it is

a Good Friday.