The other night I had a dream that actually wasn't too weird and crazy, and it even made me think a little bit. Before I relate the dream I must give a disclaimer. I am NOT advocating some kind of extra-biblical-new-revelation-from-God-á-la-Joseph-Smith type dream. I believe that the Bible is our final authority, and it trumps any dream. God's Word is clear that prophetic visions and dreams have ceased because we now have "a more sure word" in the very Scriptures themselves (I Cor. 13:8-10, II Peter 1:16-21, Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12). There's a very popular movement within Christianity that places emphasis on mysticism, dreams, visions, meditation and other New Age practices. I am whole heartedly against this movement and reject it's false teaching. I do believe God can use dreams to work in a person's heart, because He's God, and He can do anything. However, if God is going to use a dream, it will NEVER contradict His Word, add to His Word, or take away from His Word.
Now that that's out of the way, here's my dream. I was an observer in this dream. I was at my parent's house, and there was some type of get together going on. It just so happened that Jesus Himself was also there. I was standing beside Him, and a girl walked up to us with a bottle of beer in her hand [disclaimer #2: My parent's are Christians and don't drink, so I'm not sure why she had beer at their house. Like I said, my dreams are usually strange]. She was clearly drunk, and took a big swig from the bottle right in front of the Lord Jesus. She was a beautiful girl. Long blond hair, nicely dressed, young, pretty. As she lowered the bottle from her lips, I looked over at Jesus and tears were streaming down His face. The look of heart break and utter sadness in His eyes made me start to cry. He just looked at this girl and sobbed. I couldn't believe how upset He was. How hurt. How pained. Yet, in the midst of that hurt and pain, I saw love, concern, and compassion in His eyes as well. In my dream I knew that this girl claimed to be a Christian, but her actions were breaking the heart of her Saviour. He reached out and gently took the bottle from her hand. She lowered her head in shame, and also started to cry. No one said anything, but we all knew that her action of drinking that alcohol had brought shame and reproach on the name of Christ. I remember thinking in my dream that He just wanted her to love Him and live for Him. I knew He wanted her to give up this sinful thing she was doing. He wasn't going to yell at her. He wasn't going to punish her. He'd already taken the punishment on Himself. He wanted to help her. I knew He wanted her to give Him this struggle. I knew He wanted her to confess, repent, and forsake her wickedness. But what amazed me is that He didn't send her away to do this all on her own. Even though she had treated Him so terribly He wanted to help her!
Then my dream was over.
I thought about this dream a lot in the morning when I got up. It was one of those really REAL kind of dreams. When I saw the heart-break in Jesus' eyes as He reached out and took that bottle from the girl, it felt like my own heart was being ripped in two! His pain had been so real. So deep. So agonizing. Then I wanted to punch her! How could she do something like that to Him? How could she treat the Man who had died on the cross for her sin with such contempt? She claimed to be saved, yet she took that salvation and trampled it in the dirt by her actions? He's my Saviour too, and I love Him with all my heart. How dare she hurt Him like that? Wasn't she thankful for His sacrifice? Did His death mean nothing to her? He SUFFERED!! He was BEATEN!! He DIED!! FOR HER!! Was her salvation just a free ticket to heaven, and she figures she can live and act how she likes? What kind of Christian does that to the Man Who gave His very life, took all the sins of the world upon Himself, shed His own blood, and suffered the wrath of God??? I was angry!! I was angry because I know people who act like that in real life, not just in dreams!!!
But then I realized, I'm guilty too. I've sinned. I was/am ashamed. It could have just as easily been me in that dream that broke Jesus' heart as that girl. Granted I don't drink alcohol, and I never will, but I have other sins in my life. What makes me think my sin doesn't grieve my Saviour? What makes me think my sin isn't as bad as her sin? The fact is, my sin IS as bad. My sin saddens the Lord Jesus just as much as that girl's sin did. I claim His name, just like she did, and when I sin it brings reproach on that wonderful, holy Name. The fact that I sin doesn't make me loose my salvation, but I know that it does hurt Him. I also know He's standing there, with tears streaming down His face, holding out His hand to me, and offering to help me. He's begging me to confess and repent. He's already paid the price. My sin is already forgiven. He just wants me to give it to Him. He'll help me. I don't have to do it on my own. It's not up to me to conquer my temptations in my own strength. I just need to put my life wholly in His hands and allow Him to take away those evil desires. I just need to allow Him to give me the strength to do what's right. I need to listen to Him when He tells me what to do, and what not to do. He's right there, beside me, waiting for me to surrender my all to Him.
He's right beside you too! Each one of us is that girl in my dream. She was holding on to her bottle of alcohol. Each one of us is holding on to something too. Jesus wanted her to give that sin to Him. What sin or temptation does Jesus want you to give to Him? Will you give it to Him, or will you stubbornly hang on to it while He begs and pleads with tears, love, and compassion for you just to obey Him?
Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
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