Emmanuel

Did I make a judgment or did I just feel righteous indignation?

The young man stood and gave his life story, body twisted, no hands and walked with a limp, yet leaped in the air and ran with joy after his performance. He was still greatly compromised and I can only imagine the pain his body must endure, but more than this I wonder where his soul will spend eternity. This is the song he sang for the audition. John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

Imagine there is no heaven It’s easy if you try, No hell below us above us only sky, Imagine all the people living for today Imagine there is no countries it isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace,

You may say I am a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, I hope someday you will join us and one day the world will be as one. Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can. No greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people sharing all the world. You may say I am a dreamer, but I hope I am not the only one. I hope someday you will join us and the world will live as one.

His praise was for the mother that adopted he and his brother and saved them from living in an orphanage where they were taken after being found in a shoe box as infants. The mother had gotten him through multiple operations. They were in Iraq and born in a war zone. His body was twisted and no right hand. The left hand was a thumb and two fingers I think. It was very deformed. He had a beautiful smile and the audience listened in absolute quiet and then he sang. The audience went wild with cheers and the judges cried. In the wings his mother and brother with cousins showed emotions of joy and tears.

My first reaction was where is the praise of God? Who gave you life and brought you from the pit you were in and let you stand here today to give witness of all that has happened. And the song seemed to just be almost blasphemous. And then the thought came did John Lennon actually believe in these things his song he wrote imagined did not exist? How can I know the heart of John Lennon?

I went back and looked at the video again, and tried to look at this soul through the eyes of Jesus and my heart melted. He had a testimony that would have praised and glorified the power that allowed him to stand there but his praise was for a human mother which I totally understand deserved his praise.

I then thought of the ten men that were lepers that called out to Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And he told them to go show the priest. And it came to pass as they went their way they were healed. As I recall they had to go to the priest after they were cleansed before they could go back into society. Only one leper came back and glorified God. He was a Samaritan. We have not changed much in 2000 years have we? Referenced Luke 17:12-19.

Then he sang a song that gave no glory whatsoever to the Son of God that was sent by His father from that Heaven

that we are to imagine does not exist and gave His life to give us a way of escape from

that Hell prepared for the devil and his angels that we imagine does not exist.

I can imagine all the people living in peace but only in the name above all names with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords forever and ever Amen.

Amazing! His name is Emmanuel Kelley. Emmanuel means God with us. How ironic.

This morning I pray Jesus will send someone to tell Emmanuel and his family in Australia about salvation. I can only imagine how amazing it would be if our missionary there on the field were to visit the home of Emmanuel Kelley and let him know that God loves him and it was God that allowed him to be here today for His purpose. And there would be an audience that would stand up and clap, and whistle, and scream for joy. They would be the angels in heaven rejoicing over a soul saved from a devil’s hell that does indeed exist.

If only Emmanuel knew the Jesus that would cause one to sing the song "I can only Imagine."

"I can only imagine what it will be like, when I walk by Your side...
I can only imagine, what my eyes will see, when Your Face is before me!
I can only imagine. I can only imagine.

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 can only imagine!

I can only imagine, when that day comes, when I find myself standing in the Son!
I can only imagine, when all I will do, is forever, forever worship You!
I can only imagine! I can only imagine!

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! Yeah! I can only imagine!