HEAVEN IS NOT THE DESTINATION

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3).

When my brother, Austin (22), was killed by a drunk driver, we prayed for him to raise from the dead. He didn’t. I couldn’t understand why.

“How could God take him? Why? Why didn’t God answer our prayer?”

At his funeral, I had a vision. I flashed back to the hospital where we were crying out to God to send him back. But then I saw my brother. He was stepping into heaven. His eyes panned around taking in the glorious view and then stopped. Something commanded his attention. It was Jesus.

The fire in Jesus’ eyes connected with the fire in my brother’s heart. Austin’s jaw dropped suddenly as he gasped for air.

“Jesus,” he whispered, “I’m home.”

“Yes, but your brother and your family are wanting you back,” Jesus replied.

Austin’s eyes fell to the floor and he sighed, “Please don’t send me back. I don’t want to go back. I want to be with you.” The vision ended, and I heard the Lord say to me, “At that moment, I decided to answer your brother’s prayer instead of yours.”

Sometimes a no to your prayer is a yes to someone else’s.

Austin’s request in the vision was an appeal to stay with Jesus, not to stay in heaven. Heaven was not his destination, Jesus was.

Is he yours?