The Prodigal
- Thread starter Silk
- Start date
When I was a teen (mid to late 60's), before there was CNN, mini series, or cable - I had a mini series type dream that was terrible and frightening. And I thought it had been sent by God (still do). I would wake up, scared and thank God it was just a dream, and then I would fall back asleep - right into the same dream. Initially it was about bad weather, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes - at one point I was in a bad storm where bunches of people were caught in it - hurt and dying. Then people were looting and shooting at each other with handguns and rifles. Somehow, I got home - not actually my house but a room where the only furniture was a small white color TV. (color TV's were not small at all then) and two chairs. My mother and I were watching to see what was going on with the weather. (back then you had TV antenna's and 4 stations - abc, cbs, nbc and pbs.). Suddenly, a news reporter was interviewing the devil. He was grey (like singed feathers) and two eyes like black abysses. The reporter was acting like they were interviewing a human being and it was upsetting to me - made no sense - and I was scared. I got up to change the channel (no remotes then). And unlike TV at the time, reception was clear and there were many, many channels. They all showed the same "devil". I scrabbled awake again and when I fell asleep, it was the same dream. While all this chaos and evil was going on, I decided to take a vacation (don't you hate when you do stupid things in dreams?). I decided to go to an island? (Rhode Island, NYC? dunno). I don't know how I got there but all of a sudden, the stars and sun went out. There was no power. At the beginning, a man helped me to get some ways towards back home. The car was white with a blue interior but the car gave out and I had no choice but to walk the rest of the way home alone in this grey miasma. At short intervals there were these giants who looked like Prince Valiant, chin length black hair, white togas that went to the knee, with gold breast plates, and gold sandals that strapped to the knee. There were great groups of people surrounding these figures and in the dream I heard the word chastisement. The figures were chastising the people. There were screams, moanings, and shrill shrieks. I knew I was just as guilty as they so I decided to try and avoid these figures, going around them, crawling thru mud and ditches. It took days and days. The grey helped the hiding. Finally, I reached the back way home thru the old high school. There was a giant there in the football field, chastising. The way I needed to go was all open ground. I followed the creek and foliage until I was past the figure and was on open ground when the sun came back. I looked back and the giant and I were staring at each other. "Uh oh" I thought. But he nodded and went back to his work. By the time I got back to my house the stars were out and the air was clear, fresh and clean. I was pondering why the giant let me go. I heard the word "chosen" ( hey I didn't write the dream script lol- that I know of). So I echoed the word, "Chosen" and the stars blinked as if to confirm. The End. I don't think I have conveyed the terror of this dream very well but it was scary, scary - the conditions, the evil, the horror. When I told my mother the dream - she was a very religious, spiritual close to God person. She interpeted the dream as about the end times. She said the giants were angels, dressed in the armor of God. So, I asked her what she thought the CNN (TV interview meant). She thought maybe Christian News Network. I said Nah, what Christian would interview the devil and not know it. She agreed. I have thought of that dream often, thru the years. Hoping it was wrong or our interpetation was. Whenever I do think on it, I don't want to live through what went on in the dream. It was more terrible than I have words for.
Today, I see things that I never saw then. My decision to take a vacation in the midst of turmoil, seems to me a going away from home or God. I isolated myself. And sinned. I ignored what I knew what was going on because it was easier. In the long hard journey back to God, I avoided the "chastisement". There is no doubt in my mind that had I faced it on the journey back, it wouldn't have taken me so long. And at the end, I don't think I was the only one "chosen". I think we all are.
I think you are right!
We at times are like water.
We seek the path of least resistance and that is always DOWN. It is easier to fall than it is to get up isn't it???
The only way to fix anything is to come face to face with it as soon as possible. The longer you put it off the more time it has to fester. As Barney Fithe us to say........."Nip it in the bud"!
Time to collect a blessing, Lord.
In my family arguments, they always said, "You always think you are right!" And my response was, "Of course, I think I am right - why would I be arguing otherwise?" The difference that they never seemed to notice was that I listened and when I was wrong, I freely admitted it. NOone means to get it wrong and under calmer conditions, it is easier to admit it. Not that I am EVER wrong.
In my family arguments, they always said, "You always think you are right!" And my response was, "Of course, I think I am right - why would I be arguing otherwise?" The difference that they never seemed to notice was that I listened and when I was wrong, I freely admitted it. NOone means to get it wrong and under calmer conditions, it is easier to admit it. Not that I am EVER wrong.
I had a dream just now. I was in my Father's (and Mother's) house up North. People I had never met before, kept coming in the house as if to party and kept fixing what was wrong with the house. All of a sudden, my parents came driving up in a joyous parade with a loudhorn saying I had won alot of money. And the words, "Today's your lucky day!" And I was healed of all my medical probs. Very strange dream, Lord! (Thanks for the blessing, btw.)
It has come time to tell the whole dream I had the other night. I should clarify that my parents had a house "up North" that they summered in - they wintered in Florida. Snowbirds. My Mother died 7 years before my Dad, so slowly, we began to think of the place up North as His place. I would also note that neither the size, locale or layout matched my parents home in the dream.
In the beginning of the dream, I was with 6 or 7 people I felt I knew. (When I woke, I couldn't identify any of them from my past or present.) We were some ways from my Father's house but it was our intention to go there but we were some ways away. While walking there, we ran into a Charming Con Man. He was to our left, while his victims appeared to our right. We gently tried to restore to his victims what had been taken from them and in the end the con man helped us. The con man had multiplied by this time as had his victims but they were all merry and joined us.
When we reached the house, we entered thru the kitchen and we were all hungry. We all pooled what we had but it was meager fare. It was a lovely house. As we all went to the kitchen sink to fill our cups with water, we all tried to close the handles tight but it leaked and it grew worse with each try. Three men appeared at the window over the kitchen sink.They analyzed, dissected and then repaired the leak with an explosion of light. Then they came into the house. Then many people followed them into the house - all unknown to me. Old and new began to clean up after each other and fix things. No one asked them to do it and no one thanked them for it but we were all grateful. It had become all of Our House.
The living room was longer than it was wide and was sunken with a teal rug sculpted to it. At the head, or north, initially was an empty fireplace. As people filled the room, someone brought wood - another lit the wood. The east wall (right) was all glass. Outside was a beautiful garden that sloped down to a lake. The west wall (left) closed off the kitchen and a hallway ran down from the kitchen to more rooms. Altho the structure was raised, it was only one story. The screens were all warped but each one was fixed by another person.
Outside - in the front - a great clamor arose. Horns beeping and loud speakers and music. I went outside and saw my Mother leaning out the passenger window of the lead car. The steering wheel was on the wrong side and my Father was driving. I ran into my Mother's hug and she whispered to me, " Don't worry, your health will be healed." Then she asked, out loud, "What are you going to do with the money you won?" I said that there was so many people that if they could give us a lift to the grocery store, that we could buy food. So we went to the store and bought enough for many banquets.
The End
In the beginning of the dream, I was with 6 or 7 people I felt I knew. (When I woke, I couldn't identify any of them from my past or present.) We were some ways from my Father's house but it was our intention to go there but we were some ways away. While walking there, we ran into a Charming Con Man. He was to our left, while his victims appeared to our right. We gently tried to restore to his victims what had been taken from them and in the end the con man helped us. The con man had multiplied by this time as had his victims but they were all merry and joined us.
When we reached the house, we entered thru the kitchen and we were all hungry. We all pooled what we had but it was meager fare. It was a lovely house. As we all went to the kitchen sink to fill our cups with water, we all tried to close the handles tight but it leaked and it grew worse with each try. Three men appeared at the window over the kitchen sink.They analyzed, dissected and then repaired the leak with an explosion of light. Then they came into the house. Then many people followed them into the house - all unknown to me. Old and new began to clean up after each other and fix things. No one asked them to do it and no one thanked them for it but we were all grateful. It had become all of Our House.
The living room was longer than it was wide and was sunken with a teal rug sculpted to it. At the head, or north, initially was an empty fireplace. As people filled the room, someone brought wood - another lit the wood. The east wall (right) was all glass. Outside was a beautiful garden that sloped down to a lake. The west wall (left) closed off the kitchen and a hallway ran down from the kitchen to more rooms. Altho the structure was raised, it was only one story. The screens were all warped but each one was fixed by another person.
Outside - in the front - a great clamor arose. Horns beeping and loud speakers and music. I went outside and saw my Mother leaning out the passenger window of the lead car. The steering wheel was on the wrong side and my Father was driving. I ran into my Mother's hug and she whispered to me, " Don't worry, your health will be healed." Then she asked, out loud, "What are you going to do with the money you won?" I said that there was so many people that if they could give us a lift to the grocery store, that we could buy food. So we went to the store and bought enough for many banquets.
The End
There's an old saying - "Pride Goeth Before a Fall." I'm beginning to think that the sin of Pride is much worse than I used to think. Because it is insiduous. You don't realize it is leading you down the garden path and away from where all truly good Christians dwell. It can cause you to lead others down the same wrong path. We all know it caused Lucifer to fall, so does he relish it when he uses this very thing to bring us down? Just wondering. Thanks for the Blessing.
No one wants to go to hell - why don't we see what's in our own best interests? I don't imagine anyone posting here is going there anyways. I think they all love you in their very own way. They don't see you the way I do. That at least, should put them in the outer rings . OK Okay. But why try to compete for all of your love when they already have it? Why seek to be self-righteous when it gets you and anyone else nothing? Down and dirty. Come off the pulpit thrones and be God's warriors - maybe God's truth, the way and the Light. I saw on History today, The Face of Christ. It's like the 4th time I've seen it. I think it is proof of Christ's Resurrection. You leave proof that no one in their right mind can refute. Thanks for the blessing.
. OK Okay. But why try to compete for all of your love when they already have it? Why seek to be self-righteous when it gets you and anyone else nothing? Down and dirty. Come off the pulpit thrones and be God's warriors - maybe God's truth, the way and the Light. I saw on History today, The Face of Christ. It's like the 4th time I've seen it. I think it is proof of Christ's Resurrection. You leave proof that no one in their right mind can refute. Thanks for the blessing.
L
little flower
Guest
Dear Silk,
in the introduction of this thread you wrote:
"At my worst point, God showed me he loved me still (in my judgment, totally undeserved) and he led me to reread the prodigal son. We are all that prodigal and God does not love me more than you – we cannot “earn” his love and therefore we can NEVER lose it."
I want you to know, dear Silk, that I appreciate your comments very much, but especially those words above.
I knew that we are only saved out of undeserved grace by God. But your words summarized what I needed so much to be reminded of. - We can never(!) lose what we did not earn.
I am so thankful that we can be prodigal daughters who can run back into our Father's arms.
I am pretty sure that He loves you very much, dear Silk.
And from all that I read from you, may I say that I love you, too.
little flower
in the introduction of this thread you wrote:
"At my worst point, God showed me he loved me still (in my judgment, totally undeserved) and he led me to reread the prodigal son. We are all that prodigal and God does not love me more than you – we cannot “earn” his love and therefore we can NEVER lose it."
I want you to know, dear Silk, that I appreciate your comments very much, but especially those words above.
I knew that we are only saved out of undeserved grace by God. But your words summarized what I needed so much to be reminded of. - We can never(!) lose what we did not earn.
I am so thankful that we can be prodigal daughters who can run back into our Father's arms.
I am pretty sure that He loves you very much, dear Silk.
And from all that I read from you, may I say that I love you, too.
little flower
Thanks Little Flower. It's nice to know that someone read back to the beginning. I have learned many things on this web site and I hope to learn more. We would all like to think that God loves us more than the next guy/gal but we all backslide, and sin and the promise that we can do nothing to LOSE that love is much more precious. It makes going back to God that much more natural and easy to know that He will be there with open arms when we recognize our wrong turns and turn back.
The words to the song "You Got a Friend" keep rolling thru my mind. "When I am down and troubled, and I need a helping hand. And nothing, nothing is going right. I close my eyes and think of you, and soon you will be there, to brighten up even my darkest hour." Have I told you lately, I love you God?
I don't understand all these mini labels we have these days. They cause division, anger, misunderstanding and separate us, one from the other. Maybe it is not the label in itself, but we who do the labelling. A wrong turn from agreement in our love of God?
I don't understand all these mini labels we have these days. They cause division, anger, misunderstanding and separate us, one from the other. Maybe it is not the label in itself, but we who do the labelling. A wrong turn from agreement in our love of God?