Alton means "exalted"

The last words to cross his mind were 'I will be with my Father before long.'

Why did it happen? He could have lived for much longer. Alton was not even an adult yet. He was almost 17 years old and he lived not to far from his church. He had been saved nearly ten years ago that eventful day. Alton went to school, he was active in clubs there, and he was active in his youth group. He played on the worship team. He even sang. Yet nobody at school noticed the week he was gone. His pastor knew what had happened, but didn't know how to break it to the congregation.

Eleven days before his 17th birthday, Alton was walking home from school. He didn't know why, but he felt compelled to take a back road. The road wound around this beautiful lake. He always wondered if it was man-made or authentic. Without a second thought he sat down to enjoy the spectacular view. He said a little prayer of thanksgiving. Nothing special, just a prayer. He was glad to be alive, glad to be one of God's chosen.

Someone noticed him praying. The man was about 25 or so and looked nothing like anybody Alton knew. He walked up to Alton and started calmly talking to him. After a while, Alton felt different. Alton felt the Holy Spirit urging him to tell this man about Christ.

"Do you go to church?" Alton asked.

"Yeah, I've been once or twice, not to fond of it though," the stranger said.

"Well why is that?" Alton's responded.

"God let my father die years ago," the stranger started crying.

"No he didn't, God doesn't do things for no reason. Maybe the death was meant to wake you up. Realize that death is real and that your whole life could end in a minute."

Just then, the stranger took out a gun and shot Alton twice.

'Father, what went wrong?' Alton prayed, 'I thought I did what I was told to do. I will be with my Father before long.'

As Alton reached the Gates of Heaven, many people greeted him. His old third grade teacher was there. She had died of old age three years after Alton left her class. He never even knew that she knew Christ. His mother was there. After drowning in a river three years ago there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't think about her. His friend's aborted baby, Abishag, named by Alton himself. Even though Alton begged of Neese not to abort, she said it was her choice. His best friend gave him a great big hug. Shane was killed in a car accident involving a drunk driver. Alton was almost at the point of suicide until he remembered God's promise. "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:5). He prayed that night until he could stay awake no more. There was Alton's twin sister that died at childbirth. Alton's great grandfather greeted him. He was on an airplane September 11th, 2001. There were three people he was very close to from his church who all died of heart attacks.

Later, Alton searched for Christ, the risen one. He could not find him anywhere. He searched high and low, far and wide. Then he heard the calling of God.

"Alton, please, approach my throne."

Alton did as he was told. He was ecstatic, finally being able to meet his Provider. Elohim, The Alpha and Omega. Names and God’s names in specific fascinated Alton. He had many questions, but only two in particular were on his mind.

"Why was my day today Lord?" he asked, "Did I not do what you wanted me to?"

"You Alton, are most faithful. That man you witnessed to today may have killed your body, but he united you with me today. The man, named Addi, was caught a month ago. Addi was tried and found guilty. He will never kill again. You sowed a seed in his heart though. I have softened his heart and he will now be a witness unto the many imprisoned today. He has accepted me and has begged for forgiveness, which I have granted. He has been born again. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) Addi will witness to the mass of people who have committed crimes against their government and ultimately me. Because of your faithfulness, you have been rewarded."

"I feel that I have not done enough for you Lord, there are still so many lost who cannot be found by me."

"Every one of those people who you met was somehow touched by your life. All of them saw your faithfulness to me, and knew that they would once again see you with them, here in paradise.

"Your fifth grade teacher saw how nicely you played with the other kids. How you never left anybody out. You were always telling her about what you did at church on Sunday and what you learned about me. Because of that, she went to church for the first time. She was saved after her fifth Sunday and she joined their prayer team. Because of you, she blessed hundreds of lives in the three years she had left. Those hundred, in return, blessed many.

"Your mother started going to church because of you. She wanted you to be taught well and to live right. She only went because of you though. It wasn't until she saw you get saved and she heard you pray for her that she decided to take the next step. She gave her life to me and because of that, she saved ten people from drowning. Even though those people have not gone on to do great things, one of them will go on to do great and wonderful things in the field of Christian Science, all for me. Another will eventually become the president that outlaws abortion.

"Which brings me to the baby, Abishag. You affected a life that never was. The mother, Neese, heard of your death and came to the funeral. She was thinking about you the whole time, and I softened her heart. She became a Christian days later and now works at a pregnancy clinic for girls just like herself; confused, alone and set apart. She will go on to do great things and bring many to me.

"Shane met you at your first day of school. You had been a Christian for 6 years, he had just moved here. You would not let him say no to coming to church with you. The night he came, he was saved. When he died, you found me again. Your unwavering faith has saved you many times.

"Your twin sister saw you from above. She never left your side, no matter where you were. When your mother died, she was there. When you were promoted from middle school, she was there. When you heard about Shane, she was there. Even the day you were to die, she was there. Every waking moment of your life, she was there to see you through another day.

"Your great grandfather was a celebrated veteran in World War II. After the war, he came home and started a family. When you came along, he was quite aged, but still going strong. He saw your faith magnified after your salvation, and wanted to know what it was about. He was saved and afterwards became very well known in his church for his praise and worship leadership.

"Those three that died of heart attacks all knew you and loved you so much. You touched their lives by talking to them when nobody else would. By sitting next to them during church. By giving them a piece of your heart. You were a people person, so much like my son.

"There are many others you will meet during your eternity in Heaven. It's a good thing forever is forever.

You had been chosen before birth Alton, you followed me and you have been rewarded. You were allowed to see those who you touched, and when Addi dies, you will be the first to see him. He will remember you just as you remember him. He will rejoice, for you are the one who started him on the correct path. Then he will get to meet those he touched in his life, and I assure you, they will be many."

Alton was so amazed; he didn't know what to say. All he could do is kneel before the Lord and praise him for all of his life. Everything he said was a blessing unto God. All of this happened because he listened to God.


I wrote this, wow, two or three years ago and I wanted anybody who hasn't read it to read it. Anyway, that's all. Have a good day.