It was a starry night. Papa pointed to the sky.
“That’s the milky way. Those little twinkling lights are stars.”
I believed Heaven was up there behind the stars. I still do.
We won’t question Eschatology, our Christian theology (the doctrine of afterlife) nor discuss Christian Homiletics, a protocol for preachers to teach the Bible along with illustrations and instructions.
“Papa, could folks live up there?” He tousled my hair. “I don’t know, but I do know it’s time to go to bed.” Awe shucks. Mama held the screen door open.
I skipped into the house thinking about a fantasy Heaven from a lullaby Mama had read to us many times at bedtime.
Eugene Fields published it in 1899 as a Lullaby, later it was set to music. It became an overnight best seller as an illustrated children’s book.
The title:
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod
The three tikes went sailing and fishing among the stars. With pillowcases for sails, up, up and away sailing in a wooden shoe. They sailed around the sky into a sea of dew . . . I’ve forgotten some of the words.
Some folk thought T’was a dream they’d dreamed of sailing the beautiful sea . . .
As far back as that I knew there was a Heaven up there. But where was it? How big was it?
Read a few verses from KJV OT IISamuel 12: 20
So 2000 years before Jesus had promised mankind eternal life, Israel’s King David declared, after the death of his baby boy . . . he can’t return to me but “I will go to him.”
He knew.
The mothers who’ve experienced sorrowful accidental infant deaths and those unplanned pregnancies of the unwed, have assurance there’s a place, taught from pulpits around the world, tell would-be mothers they will be reunited with their unborn babies and those whose lives on earth were cut short will see their children somewhere in the whereafter.
Today scientists confirm: The Milky Way is a galaxy and only one of billions of galaxies in the universe. It has 100 billion stars. You’re kidding.
Each star has at least one planet orbiting it. So there must be thousands of potential planetary systems like our solar system, within our galaxy.
Places referred to in the scriptures as My Father’s House, paradise, first second, and third heavens, the bosom of Abraham, and mansions that are being prepared for mankind.
Primary religions around the world teach this life here on earth is not the end of our existence, but a charging station, where millions of folks get energized.
Folks ask “But is there enough room in the universe for everyone destined to heaven, the whereafter?
According to scientists, the universe is still expanding. More stars, more planets. No matter your age you have family and friends who are already there in the whereafter.
I am still curious about the ‘where?’
I simply let the child in me climb into the fantasy wooden shoe with Wynken, Blynken, and Nod and go fishing among the stars, y’all.
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