John 1:23
Has anyone had the dubious pleasure of taking a Medrol Dose pack? Over the years, I have had the unfortunate need to calm inflammation in various areas of my worn-out body. But this time, these tiny white makers of insomnia have been an instrument used by God to lead this servant to share a message. This can be a message of hope and of warning, and one our Lord has written for all to read in his Holy Book. He has communicated these truths through teachers and preachers and to those far less articulate, like myself.
Most of you have read the Book of Revelation, which describes the inevitable coming apocalypse. Not all followers of Christ agree on the minute details, but there is a consensus that we are closer to saying goodbye to life as we know it today than we were twenty-four hours ago.
Mathew 25:15
I am a dreamer. I don’t mean one who has the capacity, or gift to communicate as succinctly and clearly as the late Dr. Martin King Jr. did in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Neither am I an entrepreneurial dreamer like Elon Musk. Musk dreams of defying the force of gravity by sending ordinary people like you and me to “go where no one has gone before.”
But, I am a different species of dreamer. I speak about stories that happen only in your mind during sleep, that deep sleep is called REM. The one in which your eyes, though closed, move back and forth like a ping pong ball. The majority of my dreams fade from my memory before I silence my boxy Sony alarm clock from the late 1990s as it cries out “Get out of bed, Karen!”
But some dreams have remained part of my story for decades.
I place most of my dreams in the category of the bizarre. Dreams I have as a result of chomping on a “Blow Pop” as I binge-watch frivolous TV on a paid streaming service. (Yes, readers, as my 69th year in this mortal body rounds the corner, I still consider “Blow Pops” as one of the major food groups.)
To this day, I remember a dream I had in the early 1960s. If you are a younger reader, consider the time of this mind fantasy. It was years before the first moon landing on July 20, 1969, and long before automated garage door openers, microwave ovens, and WiFi. I bet you wonder how we baby boomers survived this archaic time in our country’s history.
Back to my antique dream:
I was strolling on the surface of the moon. My moonwalk led me to a cave that beamed a bright light as if inviting me in. Obviously, as an astronaut, It would be essential that I have both curiosity and courage. That I would fearlessly tell my moon boots to travel toward the light’s beckoning. These hero-like characteristics were extremely unlike my seven-year-old self, but this was a dream after all.
What I found as I crossed the threshold is fascinating all these years later. It revealed the fulfillment of my young heart’s desires. A dream come true for this little girl with a congenital sweet tooth. l beheld a glass case filled with all forms of the food of the gods, you guessed it, candy. You see a theme here, don’t you? Back then my dentist must have put his children through college by placing silver fillings in my decaying teeth.
I instinctively knew I wasn’t supposed to be there. This cavern candy store was not found on the itinerary of places to explore. Knowing this, I looked around for any possible eye wittinesses. On the sly, I helped myself to one of those tuition-paying sweets. As I carefully unwrapped that satisfier of my childhood taste buds, my semi-conscious state was roused. Upon awakening, I found my hand moving toward my mouth. I was anticipating a luscious treat and found instead an empty hand. Readers, I realize it has been sixty years since this life-altering event, but truly I still remember how disappointed I felt as I was lying in that twin bed in Springfield, Illinois.
After all these letters and punctuation marks you have had to sift through, I will finally share the purpose of this blog. It’s not about my childhood dream. Nor is it celebrating my “gift” in recalling the sadness I experienced when I awoke from my candy dream. It’s about a dream with technicolor images God gave me last week.
Our Lord designed and created these brief images in my mind and gave me marching orders to communicate their meaning to as many souls as would listen. My Savior pulled me out of my king bed at 0dark30, disallowing any physical rest until I obeyed His call. The dream was extremely short but extremely powerful. It is my sincere belief that the Lord used my steroid-induced insomnia to draw me to the keyboard and share this story. Another sign of his providence is the timing of this dream. God, in his mercy, gave me this directive on a day that was my turn to be “called off” from my work shift. Too many nurses, and not enough patients require an alteration in staffing. This is not a unique experience in the world of medicine, but what are the chances He would ask this task of me on a day I could later rest my weary body?
The dream:
I was outside in an open field. There were others there, men, women, and little ones. I didn’t feel crowded, but I wasn’t alone. It was a cool night, but only a light jacket was needed to be comfortable. The sky was unusually crystal clear and the stars were bright like diamonds in a charcoal sky. Those present with me were looking up at this masterpiece when suddenly and unexpectedly a celestial show began. I saw and experienced indescribable beauty. Multicolored distant planets moved close to ours. Closer and more vibrant than our own Autumn moon that visits us at this time of year. These planets seemed to be dancing and celebrating the beauty they displayed. The stars were skating in between the planets in a well-choreographed dance. Many of us were filled with awe, wonder, and excitement as we felt privileged to be present at this demonstration of God’s creativity and glory. This majestic display stirred a hunger in many of our hearts. Some of us raised our hands in worship. We offered praise to our King and glorified His name. There were other on-lookers, many scoffers who claimed this unique sky show was a result of climate change or anything but by the will and power of almighty God. I remember feeling so sad for the unbelievers. I was amazed that the true God of the universe humbled Himself and manifested his power in such an undeniable way. It was unimaginable that some, in their arrogance, denied the source of this miracle.
The next and last scene in this night vision:
After the sky dance was completed. A simple shovel replaced the planets and the stars. It resembled any mover of dirt that would be found in most garages but the one I saw in the sky was ginormous. It rested horizontally and had an orange-colored handle and a black rectangular tip. After a brief time, the hand of God changed the position of the shovel from horizontal to vertical. He then struck the earth with such power only the God of the universe could unleash. I don’t remember hearing any crashes or loud sounds, but mountains of black dirt flew high in the sky, the earth shook and unrestrained havoc began all over the world.
The last scene found me manically shopping, attempting to purchase food items as total devastation began to unfold. One of my daughters was with me and seemed clueless about the magnitude of what we were facing. She was fairly young, unnerved by the panic of those around her.
Similar to other emotional dreams I have experienced over the years, I woke with tears uninvited and unexpected. My heart was working overtime as if I had just completed a triathlon (as if I knew what that would feel like.) My first impulse was to pray. I asked the all-knowing, all-gracious, holy, and just God, how I could prepare for the inevitable. Should my husband and I invest in a bomb shelter, build a barn, and fill it with food and other necessities that may become unavailable? Should we invite all my loved ones and create a compound of safety?
His answer was “Prepare your heart.” I don’t know about you, but I kind of like the bunker idea. This is something concrete, touchable, and “feels” safe. I find comfort in having a plan, an action that helps me to visualize my ability to self-protect. Shamefully, I privately thought that preparing my heart seemed a little feeble in the wake of the coming apocalypse.
Psalms 119:11
As I reasoned with the Holy Spirit that lives in me and I offered up my fleshly fears, I was convinced that the reality of a heart prepared for Him is truly the totality of all I need. It is all that He requires and all I can do. Having a heart after God is the best and only defense against any coming terror. His word stands true in any and every situation. Whether we are facing an apocalypse or the everyday struggles of life, we are to prepare our hearts. Our marching orders are to hide His loving and directive words in our minds. We are to keep our eyes off ourselves and on the inventor and finisher of our faith. To be a servant to others and stay kingdom-minded. This is the best and most effective bunker available to every one of us who calls Jesus our Lord.
Whether we are fellowshipping with one another or saturating our souls with worship music. While celebrating a feast or sharing a piece of bread. Let us do it all in the name of Jesus, do it all to prepare our hearts.
Colossians 3:17
As I remain on this journey, on this race to the finish as Paul writes. I pray as you read these words I have written they will stir you as they have me. Prepare your hearts brothers and sisters, the time is near.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
Blessings,
Karen
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