I Can Only Imagine

My wife and I saw the recent movie, I Can Only Imagine. It's the story behind the hit song of the same name. It tells why the songwriter, Bart Millard, wrote it. I'm not planning to review the movie. Not the point. It was lacking in a gospel message, but I assume that the number they listed at the end to call if you're interested would suffice. I did find it interesting that Lionsgate Films did what they did.

Lionsgate Films has produced movies like The Hunger Games series about a nation run by tyranny, The Day After Tomorrow about a sudden ice age brought on by global climate change, a couple of Divergent films where kids are the real brains in a post-apocalyptic world, and Dogma, a story about two fallen angels who plan to return to heaven and undo all creation. It's odd, then, that, while they make no disclaimers on those kinds of movies, they felt it necessary to distance themselves from I Can Only Imagine. "Doesn't represent us or our views." You know.

But this isn't about the movie. This is about the song.

What I really like about the song is kind of highlighted in the anomaly of the movie's explanation of the song. The song, apparently, was written because the Millard's father died. Jesus really changed his father and he "could only imagine" what heaven would be like. You would think, then, that Millard was thinking about what it would be like to be with his father again in heaven ... as so many, even Christians, do. But the song does not go there. It is not about seeing loved ones again. It is about the awe of being with Jesus, in His presence, eternally.

Surrounded by Your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus?
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in Your presence?
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing Hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine

I appreciate that. Deeply. I know that someday I will be in heaven with loved ones who have gone before and who come after. But someone once asked, "If you knew that heaven would be a place without any sadness, any pain, with only joy ... but Jesus would not be there, would you want to go?" To me the question is nonsense. I don't believe we will find a place of eternal joy without Jesus. A contradiction in terms. As much as I love my loved ones, it is truly Jesus I long to see face to face. And I, like Millard, can only imagine how glorious that will be.