Sunday, April 6, 2008

"A Dream"

I had a "dream" and in my dream:


I was standing facing a mountain. The mountain was enormous, beautiful, breathtaking. As I looked I knew that I had to pass that mountain. At first I saw this as a great opportunity to see something so amazing up close, but as I neared the mountain, what was glorious and picturesque became the Cliffs of Insanity. (from The Princess Bride. You know, 10,000 feet of imposing, un-scalable, that's very existence defies you to prove that you are anything but puny.) But I still had to get passed it. There was no route up. It went on without end in both directions. I was stopped. I tried and tried, but there was no way to make it passed. I felt like a complete failure, and in desperation, fell to my knees and cried out to God.
"I know you want me to get passed this, but I can't do it. I want to, but I just can't! Help me!"

At that moment I felt a warmth at my back. I turned around and looked up to see what looked like the sun, but as it got closer, I saw that it was something approaching on a cloud. I looked again and could make out a figure of a man standing like the presence of God. I couldn't see his face, but he wore a white robe that shimmered like lightning dancing across his body. I also noticed (and this will mean a lot to my friend BB) that he only wore one sandal.

When he had come very close, I saw that his presence was kicking up storm level winds all around, but I only felt a gentle breeze. Then, as he reached the ground, he stepped forward onto the earth, and it was like a bomb went off. There was no sound, but I saw a shock wave slam out from the point where his foot touched ground and it was like creation recognized the Creator and nearly shattered in an effort to yield to his will. The shock wave surged forward and when it hit the mountain, the mountain burst not like an eruption or volcanic explosion-- not like anything solid at all. It was like the shock wave hit a mountain of ash. In seconds the ground was clear and easy to pass.

Then Jesus (for I now recognized him) turned and walked into me. I panicked, and cried out: ""Where are you?" He told me to look down at my Hand and saw my hand and what was like a transparency of another hand overlaid on top. The second hand was nail-pierced.

"Now what?" I asked.
"Walk where I walk."

So I watched and when I saw his foot move forward, I put my foot in the same place. In this way we walked through the place where the mountain had been. We then came to a swamp and I couldn't see any way to cross.

"Walk where I walk."

So we went. At one point a snake struck out at me and I jumped from it. It struck my leg and injured me. I cried out to Jesus again and he said: "Remain in me."
So I put my foot back where his was and my leg healed. The Snake struck again, but when I didn't move, the snake passed straight through.

"Where are we going?" I asked.
"You'll see."


This is the beginning and the end of it. This is all I saw so this is all I wrote.

Man of Valor

I am Gideon and I'm hiding
In a wine press threshing grain.
Brave enough to do the deed,
But not to face the pain.

Then I hear a stirring
There outside the press,
And I'm filled with gutless terror
when I hear the bold address:

"Greetings, mighty man of valor!"
(My blood turns cold to bone.)
And the fear grows in intensity
As I realize I'm alone.

"Who is it you're seeking?"
I whisper timidly.
"Be of courage, man of God,
I have come to speak to thee!"