In this story, Brian has lost his daughter in a car accident. He is at home, just waking up from a nap. The thoughts of losing his daughter and what he might have done differently so that she would be alive today are haunting him...

An accident

Took you down

To the street

To the ground

But I still hear

Your voice so near

On Miss-you avenue

I ran to save you

On that day

I heard the crash

From far away

But “It’s too late”

I heard them say

On Miss-you avenue

And now that you

Are far away

Where will you walk

Where will you stay

As everyday

I think of you

On Miss-you avenue

Will someone meet you

On heaven’s way

Will someone greet you

What will they say

I think about you every day

On Miss-you avenue

Then Brian began to read

And Brian began to pray

In his despair

He waited on God

For something

The Lord would say

He had to find a way

To focus his thoughts today

On God’s faithfulness

And lovingkindness

His mind would stay

And the God of all ages

Came to him near

And God’s presence on high

Was brought to him there

...As he lifted his hands

In praise and prayer...

In his despair Brian waited on God for something the Lord would say, and he wanted to focus on the home where his daughter now lived...

He was reading passages from Revelation chapters 4, 21, 22; Daniel chapter 7,  I Corinthians chapter 15, and Hebrews chapter 11.

 

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen...and without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:1,6

“(Abraham) was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God...”  Hebrews 11:10

“And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”

Revelation 21:21

 

“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

Revelation 22:1-2

“... A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him...” Daniel 7:10

Artist’s interpretation: The white vertical mist is a giant fountain from the river of life, and the orange horizontal stream is the river of fire from the throne of God. The river of life flows from the throne in two directions down the center of main street, and the throne of God is the center point of all activity.

“Out from the throne came flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures...”

Revelation 4:5-6

Note: Only 3 lampstands can be seen in this picture, but there are a total of 7 that are placed on each point of a 7-sided platform. They can be seen in the animation*, which goes all around the throne.

*To be released on YouTube.com in March, 2007.

“The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”         Revelation 4:7-8

 

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here and I will show you what must take place after these things.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance...”  Revelation 4:1-3

Brian began to lift his hands in prayer, saying over and over, “Holy holy holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and is and is to come...” He began to sense the presence of God, as though he were before the throne, and he imagined all the angels in heaven with his daughter worshipping God....

“I the Lord am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the earth all alone, causing the omens of boasters to fail, making fools out of diviners, causing wise men to draw back, and turning their knowledge into foolishness, confirming the word of His servant, and performing the purpose of His messengers...”

Isaiah 44:24-25

“I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness...”  Isaiah 45:7

 

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing...To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” Revelation 5:12-13f

“He *(Jesus Christ) is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins *(on the cross) He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

 Hebrews 1:3

*Words in parenthesis are added for clarity.

“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord...”  Acts 3:19

Do you want to experience “times of refreshing” from the Lord? You can pray this prayer at any time: “Dear Lord Jesus,  please come into my life, forgive me of all I have done wrong in your sight, and please send me times of refreshing from your presence. Please help me to focus on you and worship you, even when I’m in despair from the loss I have suffered. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Story and pictures by Randy Stahla, copyright 2007. This story and its character, Brian, are fictional, and any resemblance to a real person is purely coincidental.

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