Read Online Heaven Is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo, Sonja Burpo, Lynn Vincent, Colton Burpo - Free Book Online Page A
Tags: Religión, General, Christian Theology, Inspirational, Christianity, Parapsychology, Body; Mind & Spirit, Christian Life, Religious aspects, heaven, Near-Death Experiences - Religious Aspects - Christianity, Near-Death Experience, Near-Death Experiences, Heaven - Christianity, Burpo; Colton, Eschatology
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Another word he didnt know: sash.
Jesus was the only one in heaven who had purple on, Dad. Did you know that?
In Scripture, purple is the color of kings. A verse from the gospel of Mark flashed through my mind: His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.1
And he had this gold thing on his head . . . Colton chirped on enthusiastically. He put both hands on top of his head in the shape of a circle.
Like a crown?
Yeah, a crown, and it had this . . . this diamond thing in the middle of it and it was kind of pink. And he has markers, Dad.
My mind reeled. Here Id thought I was leading my child gently down this conversational path but instead, hed grabbed the reins and galloped away. Images from Scripture tumbled through my mind. The Christophany, or manifestation of Christ, in the book of Daniel, the appearance of the King of kings in Revelation. I was amazed that my son was describing Jesus in pretty much human termsthen amazed that I was amazed, since our whole faith revolves around the idea that man is made in Gods image and Jesus both came to earth and returned to heaven as a man.
I knew by heart all the Bible stories wed read him over the years, many from the Arch series, Bible storybooks Id had as a child. And I knew our churchs Sunday school lessons and how simplified they are in the preschool years: Jesus loves you. Be kind to others. God is good. If you could get a preschooler to take away just one three- or four-word concept on Sunday mornings, that was a huge accomplishment.
Now here was my kid, in his matter-of-fact, preschooler voice, telling me things that were not only astonishing on their face, but that also matched Scripture in every detail, right down to the rainbow colors described in the book of Revelation,2 which is hardly preschool material. And as he babbled, Colton asked me, his pastor-dad, every so often, Did you know that?
And Im thinking, Yeah, but how do you know it?
I sat in silence for a few moments as Colton resumed his bombing campaign. As would become a pattern for the next couple of years, I sat there and tried to figure out what to ask him next. I thought through what he had said so far . . . John the Baptist, Jesus and his clothes, rainbows, horses. I got all that. But what about the markers? What did Colton mean when he said Jesus has markers?
What are markers to a little kid?
Suddenly, I had it. Colton, you said Jesus had markers. You mean like markers that you color with?
Heaven is for real
Page: 24
Like when you color a page?
Yeah.
Well, what color are Jesus markers?
Red, Daddy. Jesus has red markers on him.
At that moment, my throat nearly closed with tears as I suddenly understood what Colton was trying to say. Quietly, carefully, I said, Colton, where are Jesus markers?
Without hesitation, he stood to his feet. He held out his right hand, palm up and pointed to the center of it with his left. Then he held out his left palm and pointed with his right hand. Finally, Colton bent over and pointed to the tops of both his feet.
Thats where Jesus markers are, Daddy, he said.
I drew in a sharp breath. He saw this. He had to have.
We know where the nails were driven when Jesus was crucified, but you dont spend a lot of time going over those gruesome facts with toddlers and preschoolers. In fact, I didnt know if my son had ever seen a crucifix. Catholic kids grow up with that image, but Protestant kids, especially young ones, just grow up with a general concept: Jesus died on the cross.
I was also struck by how quickly Colton answered my questions. He spoke with the simple conviction of an eyewitness, not the carefulness of someone remembering the right answers learned in Sunday school or from a book.
Colton, Im going up to get some water, I said, really only wanting to exit the conversation. Whether or not he was done, I was done. I had enough information to chew on.
Okay, Daddy, Colton said and bent
Another word he didnt know: sash.
Jesus was the only one in heaven who had purple on, Dad. Did you know that?
In Scripture, purple is the color of kings. A verse from the gospel of Mark flashed through my mind: His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.1
And he had this gold thing on his head . . . Colton chirped on enthusiastically. He put both hands on top of his head in the shape of a circle.
Like a crown?
Yeah, a crown, and it had this . . . this diamond thing in the middle of it and it was kind of pink. And he has markers, Dad.
My mind reeled. Here Id thought I was leading my child gently down this conversational path but instead, hed grabbed the reins and galloped away. Images from Scripture tumbled through my mind. The Christophany, or manifestation of Christ, in the book of Daniel, the appearance of the King of kings in Revelation. I was amazed that my son was describing Jesus in pretty much human termsthen amazed that I was amazed, since our whole faith revolves around the idea that man is made in Gods image and Jesus both came to earth and returned to heaven as a man.
I knew by heart all the Bible stories wed read him over the years, many from the Arch series, Bible storybooks Id had as a child. And I knew our churchs Sunday school lessons and how simplified they are in the preschool years: Jesus loves you. Be kind to others. God is good. If you could get a preschooler to take away just one three- or four-word concept on Sunday mornings, that was a huge accomplishment.
Now here was my kid, in his matter-of-fact, preschooler voice, telling me things that were not only astonishing on their face, but that also matched Scripture in every detail, right down to the rainbow colors described in the book of Revelation,2 which is hardly preschool material. And as he babbled, Colton asked me, his pastor-dad, every so often, Did you know that?
And Im thinking, Yeah, but how do you know it?
I sat in silence for a few moments as Colton resumed his bombing campaign. As would become a pattern for the next couple of years, I sat there and tried to figure out what to ask him next. I thought through what he had said so far . . . John the Baptist, Jesus and his clothes, rainbows, horses. I got all that. But what about the markers? What did Colton mean when he said Jesus has markers?
What are markers to a little kid?
Suddenly, I had it. Colton, you said Jesus had markers. You mean like markers that you color with?
Heaven is for real
Page: 24
Like when you color a page?
Yeah.
Well, what color are Jesus markers?
Red, Daddy. Jesus has red markers on him.
At that moment, my throat nearly closed with tears as I suddenly understood what Colton was trying to say. Quietly, carefully, I said, Colton, where are Jesus markers?
Without hesitation, he stood to his feet. He held out his right hand, palm up and pointed to the center of it with his left. Then he held out his left palm and pointed with his right hand. Finally, Colton bent over and pointed to the tops of both his feet.
Thats where Jesus markers are, Daddy, he said.
I drew in a sharp breath. He saw this. He had to have.
We know where the nails were driven when Jesus was crucified, but you dont spend a lot of time going over those gruesome facts with toddlers and preschoolers. In fact, I didnt know if my son had ever seen a crucifix. Catholic kids grow up with that image, but Protestant kids, especially young ones, just grow up with a general concept: Jesus died on the cross.
I was also struck by how quickly Colton answered my questions. He spoke with the simple conviction of an eyewitness, not the carefulness of someone remembering the right answers learned in Sunday school or from a book.
Colton, Im going up to get some water, I said, really only wanting to exit the conversation. Whether or not he was done, I was done. I had enough information to chew on.
Okay, Daddy, Colton said and bent
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