June Yates-Boykin

I had a very brief glimpse into heaven. The scene remains a great source of encouragement to me.  I don’t remember what I was praying about or studying at the time, nor do I remember my own emotional state.  I remember only that all at once before me I saw God the Father seated upon His throne.

            Standing before God was an extraordinarily long line of people.  On His right side a set of shelves adorned with ornate carvings at each corner.  The shelves rose as high as I could see. As one might appear when nestled between two full length mirrors, the shelving unit seemed forever long.  On those shelves were more bottles than I could count.

            The bottles were beautiful.  They were elaborately designed in every deep, rich color imaginable.  The finest handcrafted stained glass windows in the world would appear faded and drab in comparison. Some of them had jewels attached, some were adorned with gold chains wrapped around their rounded bottoms or at the base of their long, cylindrical necks.  And they were of every size – some very small, some very large, and some of every size in between.

            Close to throne on the left side, I would estimate only six to eight feet away, was a pool. It was like a stream or slow flowing river that originated in the floor of the throne room.  The water was crystal clear.  Like the shelves, this pool appeared endless.  I imagined it must extend throughout all of Heaven itself.  It reminded me much of the Lazy River pools found at our Florida water parks.  They are narrow pools that surround a large area, sometimes the entire water park.  Reclined on a raft or inner tube, people drift peacefully down the river’s gentle current and enjoy the cool water under the bright sun.

            “How odd”, I remember thinking, “God has a room He decorates with bottles, of all things.”  I wondered if these bottles were somehow designed or crafted by His children like we display the handiwork of our young ones to let them know they did a good job and we are proud of them.

            I wasn’t exactly right, but I was close.

            That multitude of people in line?  I watched them one by one step up to the throne, very close, and God actually reached out and hugged each one, pulling them so close in a loving embrace.  They would weep – tears of relief, joy, and gratitude no doubt.  As the hold ended and they stood looking at Him once again, the most incredible thing took place. 

            An angel approached with a bottle in his hands and stood next to our Father.   I somehow knew that the angel didn’t just randomly choose a bottle. The one he brought forth was the one that belonged that that person now standing before God.  I actually witnessed God reach out with both His hands and touch each person’s eyes.  Then He took the bottle from the angel, removed the decorative top, turned it upside down and poured its contents on the feet of that person.

            What I thought was water washed over their feet and created a pool.  The larger the bottle, the larger the pool that formed.  Some were small like tiny puddles, some so large it appeared the very throne of God would certainly sink into the lake forming at its base.  That wet patch then developed into a crystal clear water-filled path that led to the main pool.  The person waded barefoot along the path to where the water ran gently around their feet and down a few steps into the pool.  They travelled down the gently moving water to wherever this endless flow took them far beyond my scope of vision. 

            I saw so many people in that pool.  Some standing to laugh and talk with passers-by, others leaping and dancing and rejoicing; still others just laying atop the water floating peacefully downstream. 

            Then it was gone. I was home again.  Holy Spirit explained to me that I had seen the bottles wherein our tears are kept.  It was those tears that poured out to form a crystal clear river of peace and joy.

            These were not tears shed of anger or greed or not having our own way.  They were tears shed because of legitimate sorrow and heartbreak.  There were also tears shed on behalf of others.  This is why the bottles were different sizes.  Some of us suffer more in this life than others.  Some of us carry more of a burden for the lost and hurting than do others.  But all were rewarded and healed of the wounds. 

            And all were reminded there will be no more tears, ever.

            To make that promise sure, God reached over with His own hands and removed their tear ducts. Okay, I’m taking some liberty here, but we won’t need tear ducts in heaven and that’s what it appeared He was doing as He touched each person’s eyes.   He wiped away the tears, dried them for all eternity. He then poured those tears stored in Heaven to be remembered no more, bringing to pass His promises.

            How I wish I could describe it as I still see it.  To explain the sheer magnitude of the love that permeated the air when God reached forward to hug each person.  Oh, that I could paint the full picture of relief and joy the extreme liberation reflected on each person’s face.  To see all those people standing tall with faces glowing as they entered the pool with the others is a sight I cling to till this day.  Even now as I tell you about it I am overcome with awe.  I am so happy for everyone there.  Knowing I’ll be there too brings indescribable joy and strength.    

            Sometimes we deal with intense grief and sorrow.  Most every day we deal with some level of disappointment about something.  That is soon going to all be put behind us never to be thought about again.  How God will accomplish this only He knows.  All we need to know is that He will.

            You number my wanderings;  Put my tears into Your bottle;
            Are they not in Your book?   Psalm 56:8 NKJV

            Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.  Psalm 126:5

           And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor     sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

Hopefully I’ll see you there.  We’ll enjoy a dip in the pool together.

©2022