We knew what to expect from the angels with the envelopes, because it was a weekly thing. When I got mine, I promptly opened it and took out the intimation slip.

envelope

Before I tell you more, allow me to give you a scripture along with a disclaimer.

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Heb 12:22-24

These verses tell us of our situation as it really is. This is the case all the time for us. But during the time of corporate worship, there a sense in which we participate, as a local church, in this joyful assembly of heaven. This much I believe is knowable from scripture. Whether heaven can see what goes on in earth at such times, cannot be known now. So it may be good not to take my story to heart, because . . . 

. . . the rest of this piece is pure fiction. It is NOT as it happens and it is part of my fantasising about heaven. I can hardly wait to get there sometimes, such is my curiosity. The Bible gives us enough information to fantasise in an informed way, but what we know is just short of doing anything more than fantasising. 

If someone tells you that they have seen God or that they have been to heaven or anything of that nature, they are most probably lying. In this case, in my story, I am telling you upfront, that it is not true. But then it is not impossibly untrue either.

Just before the Lord’s Day Sabbath comes around again, and it comes time for the Lord’s assemblies on earth to join in with the perpetual corporate worship of heaven, that is when we get intimation slips. These tell us all we need to know about where we are to be seated that week, who will escort us there, timings, and so on.

But for me, the most exciting aspect by far is to find out which local church has been mentioned in the heavenly summons for that week. You see, this careful seating of the blood-bought of heaven  in the worship of heaven allows us to simultaneously witness the worship of the weary saints on earth. The corporate worship of the Lord’s congregations on earth reaches into the very heavens and blends in with the Heavenly worship with this weekly rhythm. I am still awed by the extent of it.

If only I had known this before I was called Home, perhaps it would have helped me on those Sundays when I was still weary from an especially hard week. But surely even without this knowledge, the sure presence of the Lamb of God in our midst should have been enough. How relieved I am to be rid of the body of death with its sin and weariness!

And how glad I am to see clearly. Looking back at my pilgrimage, I now know that without the Spirit within me to lead me along the way, I would have lost my way with no hope of reaching the Paradise of God.

As I remember the weariness, I remember with gratitude the comfort of the Holy Spirit that filled me and reminded me of heaven and home. I love the cheerful children’s hymn that ends like this:

Then He’ll bring us at length,
By His infinite strength,
To the land that is fairer than day;
For the Lord is my light
And the Lord is my life,
And the Lord is my strength and stay.
So we’ll sing to His praise,
To the end of our days,
As we travel each dangerous way;
For the Lord is my light
And the Lord is my life,
And the Lord is my strength and stay.

Obviously digressing is something that has followed me into glory. I was telling you about the intimation slips.

The seating is not random at all but takes innumerable factors into loving consideration—infused in goodness—with logic more profound than any earthly algorithm. So far, I have usually known someone among the earth-side worshippers, but it is always exciting to watch these saints worship, seeing as they do only dimly what I see so plainly.

Yes, dear saints, soon you will be Home too. Hold on for just a little longer.