Breathless as the last note of my worship song fades off, I reach the top of the  marble staircase.  Silent I step out onto a holy floor somewhere above heaven’s realm.  Just 20 feet in front of me I gaze up at a wall with two carved crystal doors – each as tall as a tree.  I walk towards the doors – fascinated each time that I see all the names of my God etched deep into the crystal panels from top to bottom.  Each name is the color of a different jewel…priceless, like Him.

Framing the majestic doorway itself is a veil that hangs like a trophy on each side of the doors.  Its ancient material rich with color looks like two giant hands split it right in two – to reveal the doorway that I see now before me.  What a doorway…

“Jesus!” I call as I push open the door to run in.  I had to shield my face from His light once I entered the room.  I heard His footsteps and laugh as I try so hard to focus on Him through the light.  I saw enough of Him to launch myself into Him and He grabbed me – spinning me around and around – both of us laughing – and He hugged me and said, “I have been waiting for you!”   Still breathless, I hug Him back and said, “I am lonesome for you!”   He tilted my chin up and looked me in the face and said, “I truly love that about you.”

I don’t know how long we stood there like that – just to look into each other’s face.  It was like He couldn’t get enough of me.  He ran His hands down my face – happy to watch me watch Him – and then He smiled – and everything about Him made my knees give way and He had to catch me so that I didn’t fall.  He straightened me back up and I was finally able to have enough strength and focus to smile back at Him.  But then I think my heart exploded when He burst out laughing and held me.  Whispering in my ear, He said, “Glory knows that I love you…”

I close my eyes and know….that to love Him, He is everything that I dream, believe, pray and need.  I know so much about Him from His Word and His presence.  I know even more from spending personal time with Him.  Of all His Holy names where He has revealed Himself to me through the years – I now see them all rolled into one…at least to my eyes.   Leaning slowing away from Him, I I tenderly reach up and trace the side of His face first, then His eyes.  His eyes – alive like no other’s…truly does see beyond sight.  And I promise…my spirit testifies that there is a power embraced in them that flickers down through my soul…down to every soul.

He is just glorious.  The Abba of His creation has rich, thick hair that falls well below His shoulders.  He is wearing a floor length white tunic made of a linen cloth interwoven with crystal thread.  His feet are bare…like mine.  His skin is bronze.  He is tall and lean.  And His hands…well, for me His hands are gentle.  And although I can’t actually see the power that fills Him I can certainly feel it in the way that everything around Him comes alive when He is near…including me.

After a moment, Jesus takes my hand and turns me to face the inside of His chambers.  And I know, that I know, that it means everything to Him that I want to share His world with Him.  His Upper Chambers reflects Him and all that He is.  He is sharing Himself…because I love Him enough to ask.

As I look throughout His chambers as we walk – it is always massive and royal – the size of a castle – but without the constricting walls or ceilings of a real castle.  The ceiling, if I can call it that, is taller than the tallest tree and made of a wide gold latticework that you can see all the stars through.  No light fixture is ever needed for everything simply reflects His light.

The floor is a real grass rug – soft and silky just like new grass in the spring.  It is woven around the edges and spread across the floor to form a perfect square in the entire center of His chamber.   The floor under the rug is made of pebbles from the streets of Jerusalem.

As for three of His four walls, they aren’t traditional but instead are hip level window seats that open almost all of  His chambers like a private balcony to the heavens and earth below.  The fourth wall area…is framed with a waterfall from the river that runs underneath the staircase to heaven.

But as for the center of the room, the central chamber area is like a huge temple seating and teaching area…it is warm and inviting with candles, pillows, food trays, goblets, and fresh bread.  The whole area is framed at each corner by columns that reach to the roof.

As we walk past the temple area, suddenly Jesus pulls me forward and says, “Come on…come swim with me…

Part 3 continues tomorrow night…

Patti Corbello Archer

HIS UPPER CHAMBERS…Encounters…God’s Appointment Book

September 26, 2001