I had a dream last night that was so amazing I have to share it with you! I am not claiming that it was a vision or any special visitation from God, but it spoke to my heart and clarified things in my mind.
I was in a modern day courtroom and some undefined person was on trial. During the session, the judge, an ordinary, yet professional-looking, man, stepped down from his bench and walked out to the middle of the room, turning to face the person on trial (who was in the witness seat) and began to sing, acapella (without music). In a powerful, perfectly tuned voice he sang the lyrics to the old hymn "Saved by the blood of the Lamb." (I didn't even realize I knew all the words to that song, but they must be buried in my subconscious!)
This is what I heard: (Maybe you know the tune; it is an old hymn)
"Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless; are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?"
The KEY to the doorway in the Land of Abundant Life that I'm using today is for OPTIMAL OPTIMISM. God's grace is what it is all about. I tend to be a perfectionist, not in regard to other people. I can accept and love others for who they are, but I am very tough on myself. As a child, I tried hard to follow the rules (still do!), in my futile attempt to do everything the right way. Which is one reason I battle frustration, when I don't live up to the imposing standards I set for myself. And unfortunately this mindset carries over at times to my spiritual life. I want to do everything right when I follow God, knowing at the same time that I am powerless to save myself, but get drawn into the false senerio that if I can somehow live the "right way" I'll please God more.
Which is utterly impossible!
I am saved only by believing, trusting in His unfathomable grace, His precious gift of His own blood spilt for me on the cross of Calvary. I know this and have staked my life on this fact for many years, but I also need to remind myself that there is nothing I can do to cause Him to love me more, or value me more.
As a parent, I recall incidents when my children were young. Sometimes they would get overtired and crabby, or even be downright disobedient (Yes, even my own wonderful children misbehaved at times. It's hard for me to believe now since they all grew up to be terrific, thoughtful adults!) But even when they were "out of sorts," my love for them didn't change one little bit. God is better at loving than I am, so why would I expect less from Him?
My dream helped to clear things up in my mind and give me a further glimpse into the loving heart of God. His love for us does not depend on anything we do or the state of our emotions. "But God demonstrated His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
We are all on the witness chair . . . prisoners actually . . . until we receive the fabulous gift that God offers us at Christmas . . .His amazing sacrifice when He gave His only son . . . equally precious to Him as my own children and grandchildren are to me . . . (even more, because His love is perfect; mine is clouded by sin). . . . to set me free from the bondage of sin
. . . the destiny of sin: an eternal future in hell
. . . and a life of despair and futility, controlled by sin.
I hope that, if ever confronted with a situation where I could be given the opportunity to give my own life for another person, I would be willing to do so at the time. But I know for a fact that I wouldn't send in my own son as a sacrifice! And yet that is exactly what God did when He gave us His Son, Jesus, to die in our place,"to pay the debt He didn't owe because we had a debt we couldn't pay. " (author of quote unknown)
Today, I was only allowed a peek into the Door of Optial Optimism, because this room is where our future Hope resides. Our "certain Hope," held securely in the loving hands of Christ, will be fullly revealed in Time, or rather at the end of Time as we know it. I saw through the peekhole a kalidescopic of images, an assortment of visions . . . the original nativity scene,
with Mary and Joseph kneeling besides the manger that contains the body of little Lord Jesus
. . . in the background a dimmed vision of the cross containing the body of our selfless Lord Jesus
. . . and further beyond that the image of our King Jesus as the clouds part and give way to the eventual second return to this earth of our magnificent Savior when "we who are alive and remain will be caught up . . . in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:17
Just think! We who are living today may not even experience death! Christ could return at any time to take His children home with Him. And if I do die first, I'll go to be with my Lord in heaven forever!
Now isn't that OPTIMAL OPTIMISM??? Nothing I can do will save me or make God love me more than He already does! I simply rest in the protective hand of Jesus, scarred by the nails and stained by His blood. I live my under the shelter of His wings, learning to love Him more and more as I walk with Him day by day and let the freedom He gives bring me joy and inspire me to share the good news with other prisoners along life's roadway.
Have you read the last chapter of the Book? I have! And I found out that we win! God is the victor over Satan and, as God's children, we get the privilege of sharing in the victory of our King!
I hope that today you also make sure that you are depending on the blood of Christ to set you free from sin and Satan's domination to walk hand in hand with Jesus day by day, depending on Him alone with hearts filled with thankful amazement for what He gave to make freedom possible for us.
Thank you, Abba (Daddy) Father, for rescuing me, for giving me an Abundant Life and a future filled with hope, to spend in Heaven with You and the ones I love that love You, too!
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