Last night at church I saw a disturbing image in my mind while singing "Halleluyahs" to God... Two escalators side by side, one going up and one going down. Both were entirely packed with people on their way to their destination of heaven or hell. As the ones were going up, when they reached the top they were ushered into eternity with the accompanying hosts from heaven singing "Halleluyahs" in harmony with us at church! At that moment those coming off the escalator also began to sing heartily the same "Halleluyahs" and the harmonious concert was glorious! I also sensed praise coming from saints in other parts of the world. This was occuring simultaneously, moment to moment, as new people reached the top of their escalation.
I also observed the people on the downward escalator. As they reached the precipice, the bottom dropped out from beneath them. Their voice was quenched as they attempted to vocalize something. A great realization that their hope was cut off overtook me. They could hear the "halleluyahs" from the people going upward, the heavenly hosts, and the christians on earth singing. All of this magnified their curse. Then I realized that this was happening in real time on a continuous basis and I wept uncontrollably.
Afterwards I realized this too: God's heart is so big that He can absorb watching this scenario re-occur every moment. It's happening now. I began to think of how my heart could not handle seeing one of my children go through success at all the stages in his life lifting him to a great destination, while my other child was constantly dogged with compounding failures that eventually led him to devastation. Remember the father who's prodigal son left home to waste his life? The father had his other son (who had everything his father had) yet they could not celebrate while the other one was away. The father's heart was looking for the return of the lost one.
There is a celebration for everyone to come to. Some are just on the wrong escalator.
