ob was a beloved friend and faithful pilgrim. One day recently, the things of earth began to grow strangely dim, and he entered the Land of Beulah. Approaching an oddly familiar, decidedly un-temporal realm where the Sun of Righteousness shines day and night, his arrival there was happily met by many heavenly ambassadors and fellow pilgrims. With a wondrous, new, divinely heightened sensory acuity, his ears were filled with heavenly voices and celestial speak, the aroma of frankincense and myrrh filled the air, and sunlight gleamed off the Celestial City’s walls of gold just across the bridgeless river. Were these sounds, aromas, and sights not enough, his vision further teamed with countless other barely describable delights. This country is commonly visited by pilgrims and, because its expansive fields, orchards, vineyards, gardens, and other generously provisioned stores belong to the King of the Celestial Country, Bob was permitted to make bold with any of His things. Nothing he saw, heard, touched, or tasted was the least bit offensive. So, he rested, ate, slept, drank, and strolled, and was greatly refreshed.
Growing more and more familiar with his new, un-temporal surroundings, Bob watched for days, mesmerized, and heard the borderland of Beulah a-buzz with activity, as other pilgrims arrived, having traversed both infinity and eternity. While some waited, others were soon across the river of death. The waters of the bridgeless river through which they must needs pass were rumored to be a little bitter and cold in the stomach, but they were said to be sweeter once swallowed. And, as more Heavenly Ones arrived, all in and around the Land of Beulah knew the significance: Newly arriving pilgrims would soon be met by those Heavenly Ones who would greet, comfort and escort them across the river at their respective appointed soundings and times.
In fact, Celestial messengers did arrive in succession over several days, each with a personal notice of great importance for a waiting pilgrim, summoning him or her to stand before the Lord of the Celestial City in one day’s time. So too did our beloved Bob receive his notice. And as his lovely and heroic wife, Constance (he and she had been each other’s earthly constant), daughter Chloe, and son Barrett remained in the dimmer temporal realms, in great but grateful sadness, they spoke to him of their love for him. They prayed for him. They thanked the King of the Celestial Country for him. And they read Isaiah, the 35th chapter, to him.
Bob, there, yet no longer there, with faith’s ear and perfected understanding heard them across the gulf, though ever more faintly, and loved them ever more deeply in return. And he tasted all that is promised to and awaits the ransomed of the Lord who shall return and come to Zion with singing.
The day having come, as our beloved Bob made his way to the river’s edge, he had sweet conversation with Great-Heart and Valiant-for-Truth, thanking both for their fearless, faithful, and accommodating company. Braced to step from dry to wet, Bob gave them both charge of his lovely, heroic Constance, with Chloe, Barrett, and their families. Still dry shod, Bob gazed across the bridgeless river and espied his four noble fellows in the journey, Christian and Christiana from the City of Destruction, and from the town of Vanity and Vanity Fair, Faithful and Hopeful. These four were front and center amongst the heavenly host assembled in ranks along the Celestial City’s battlements. As he stepped into the river of death, the assembled host called to him lovingly, urging him on. Each step was bolder and took him deeper as, with a beckon of farewell to all across the gulf who loved him, and to those along the riverside, the last words he was heard to say were, “I come, Lord, to be with Thee, and bless Thee!”
WheeledWords 