Some songs touch us more than others. For me, one of those songs is “I Can Only Imagine.” I cannot listen to it without tearing up.
Although I do not remember when I first heard it, I do remember when it first touched me. The church I attended was doing a walk-through drama. I guided people through each scene. The last scene depicted “heaven” and “I Can Only Imagine” was playing in the background as “Jesus” spoke to each of us. This was so powerful and tears streamed down my face.
We all try to imagine what heaven will be like. The Bible is filled with references of it…streets of gold, walls adorned with precious stones, gates of pearls. Even with the description, I do not think we can fully comprehend what it will be like. I believe it is beyond our mere mortal comprehension. All we can do is imagine what it will be like.
Recently, I took my children to see the movie I Can Only Imagine. While I knew the basics of the story behind the song–the writer and lead singer of Mercy Me, Bart Milliard, wrote it due to an event in his life–I wanted to know more. So that I do not spoil the movie for anyone, I will not go into detail about the event. When we went to see the movie, I really did not know what was in store for me. It is labeled as a movie about redemption, but it was not what I expected–it is about so much more.
This powerful movie is based on Bart Milliard’s life starting at a very early age all the way up to when the song was released. He went through so much throughout his childhood and so much of the movie is just heartbreaking. The movie is very touching, and luckily, I took tissues with me (a friend warned me, and like I said, just the song itself makes me cry). As a side note: The movie was very well-made, felt like a high-budget film, and had incredible acting. It is a must-see for everyone.
We each have our own story. That story, good or bad, is what makes us who we are. It is what forms us, how we react to traumas and celebrations. We can push people away and hide within ourselves. Or, we can turn to God to get us through these things.
We all try to imagine what heaven is like. We will never realize its true magnificence until we get there.
Can you imagine what heaven is like?
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