I dreamed that we were living in a dystopic society nearing
the apocalypse. The governing powers announced one morning that all those in
Christian leadership would be rounded up and put to death that evening for
“treasonous beliefs,” unless they renounced their faith in Jesus Christ. In a
vain attempt to make these actions appear humane, the rulers decreed that all
these Christians would be taken to a camp in the woods for a last meal and
fellowship with one another.
Two pastors, my husband and I were to be taken together,
and we made last-minute preparations. I put on red slacks, sandals, a brown shirt,
purple jacket, and a white cap.
“I trust God even if I do die tonight,” said the older
pastor. “God has blessed me with a good life; I’d probably die in a few years
anyway from natural causes; and I know where I’m going.”
“God has a plan,” the other pastor said.
Their conversation was interrupted by a loud mechanical
roar outside and pounding on the door. Armed guards burst inside and escorted
us out to a cattle car being pulled by a tractor. We sat quietly with the other
prisoners, not putting up any resistance.
Our heads and bones rattled as the tractor pulled us along
a rocky, unpaved road up a steep mountain to an abandoned camping lodge in the
middle of nowhere. A forest fire appeared to have leveled the trees, and only a
few charred stumps poked forth from the scorched earth like stubble on a
three-day-old beard. The guards locked the four of us in a dilapidated room
containing only four bare cots, one weakly flickering lantern, and a built-in
cupboard. The only window had been filled in with concrete.
My husband opened the cupboard, which was empty except for
a few roaches that scurried out. “So much for them feeding us, not to mention
letting all of us get together for our last prayer meeting,” he sighed.
“I have part of a leftover sandwich,” I said, digging the sorry remains out of my pocket and offering it to him. He gestured to the others and placed it on the ledge beneath the cemented window, beside a chipped old plastic toy bird that some child must have left there.
Suddenly the sandwich transformed into a bountiful,
fragrant loaf of fresh baked bread; the bird sprang to life as a white dove;
and the obstructed window became transparent crystal befitting a modern
cathedral. A brilliant white light shone through the window as the panes opened
and the dove flew upward and away. Before us stood the Lamb of God, perfect in
His humanity, yet resembling a Lamb with hair as white as wool, indescribably
beautiful, radiant, powerful, tender, and compassionate.
As I reached toward His face, I realized we were being
transported upward into His light, and I was overwhelmed by utter peace and
joy!
Upon awakening and thinking about the symbolism of the
dream, I realized that Jesus warned that Christian persecution would increase
in the End Times (Matthew 24:6-10),
and that Peter reminded us not to be surprised if we are facing fiery trials
for our faith (1 Peter 4:12-19).
We can only be prepared for these trials if we put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17), symbolized in
the dream by my strange outfit.
Our loins are to be girded with the truth that we are
bought (1 Corinthians 6:20) with
the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter
1:18-20), red like the slacks. Our feet are to be shod with the Gospel
of the preparation of peace, denoted by the sandals. The brown shirt may
represent the breastplate of righteousness, as brown is the color of humility.
We need to be humble and recognize that we have no righteousness on our own merit
(Romans 3:10), but that we
need instead to be clothed in the imputed righteousness of Christ (Isaiah 61:10).
Purple is a royal hue and therefore
the color of faith in the King of Kings (1
Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16). The purple jacket
reminds me of the shield of faith, which we are to use above all to quench all
the fiery darts of Satan. We are to protect our mind with the helmet of
salvation, symbolized by the white cap. Only when we realize that He saved us
by His death, burial and resurrection (1
Corinthians 15:1-4) can our sins be washed as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).
All the prisoners in the dream had refused to renounce
their faith in Jesus Christ, even though the penalty was death, much like
Daniel facing the lions' den (Daniel 6:10-23).
The two pastors expressed their trust in God to either deliver them from the
earthly danger or to remove them directly to His presence, much like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo as they were thrown into the fiery furnace for their
faith (Daniel 3:14-28).
Although the tractor was pulling us up the mountain, that destination and view had nothing to be desired, for it was but a charred wasteland. The best that man can offer by his own efforts are nothing but filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) or dung (Philippians 3:8) compared with God’s abundant provision (Philippians 4:19). He alone can give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, to His glory! (Isaiah 61:3).
Our seemingly hopeless situation in the barracks reversed
completely to a glorious new beginning after we offered what little we had for
the good of our companions. Jesus transformed a little boy’s lunch into a
banquet for thousands (John 6:5-14),
and He honored the widow’s pitiful offering above all the riches poured into
the treasury (Mark 12:41-44).
The size or the value of our gift means far less to Him than the degree of
sacrifice with which we offer it. But no matter how much we give, we can’t
outgive God! (Luke 6:38).
In the dream, He transformed the stale crumbs from my
pocket to a magnificent loaf that could nourish all, representing Himself as
the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 48, 51),
and the forsaken toy into the Heavenly Dove of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; John
1:32).
God is light (1
John 1:5), and if we seek Him we can walk in His light (Ephesians 5:8-11; John 8:12)
and ourselves be light in this dark and wicked world (Luke 1:79; Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6). He
will take us from darkness into His marvelous light (Matthew 4:16; 1 Peter 2:9) and elevate us to heavenly
places with Him (Ephesians 1:3; 2:6).
Words escape me when I try to describe what I saw and felt
in the dream state of encountering Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God Who takes away
the sins of the world! (John 1:29,
36). In His perfect love we have nothing to fear (1 John 4:18), for our sins are forgiven (Mark 2:10; Acts 13:38). He
paid the price; and if we belong to Him, we do not need to fear anyone or
anything else (Romans 8:31).
The “light affliction” of this world, as the apostle Paul put it, will fade the
instant we see Him in glory (2
Corinthians 4:17).
One day, I believe and pray one day soon, the Lamb of God
will call all His children upward to meet with Him in the air, take part in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation
19:9), and forever serve Him (Revelation
22:3) and bathe in His light! (Revelation
21:23; 5:6; 7:17)). Until the Rapture occurs (1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1
Thessalonians 4:15-17), may we stand fast in our faith (1 Corinthians 15:58), encourage one another, put on the whole armor of God, and share what we have with others
in need, all to His glory!
© 2018 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives
