I never imagined that I’d stumble across an image like the one above. But when I was looking for a picture for last week’s post, to my surprise, I spotted it. I took it as an opportunity from the Lord to write about my dream from long ago.
A Dream
Before I was a teenager, I was taking catechism classes at the Catholic church my family attended. The lessons didn’t stick with me, but one night, I dreamed I was at a church picnic in a park. (I don’t recall our congregation doing anything like this, but that’s how dreams go!)
It was a large open field with a crowd of around 50 people. I moved from the middle of the cluster to the periphery. There was nothing for a kid to do because the field didn’t have any toys, games, sports equipment, or a playground.
In the background was a thick forest with large trees. The woods were dense and green but between the brown trunks, it was pitch black. But the trees were more uninviting than spooky, like a natural wall or boundary you didn’t think to cross.
Drifting from the crowd, I looked up and saw a large hand reaching toward me from the sky. When I say large, I mean gigantic, like the size of the picnic crowd! It was flesh colored but translucent; I could both see it and see through it.
This hand was open, so I raised my arm and grabbed a hold of it. Kind of. My hand went through one of the fingers even though it felt solid.
When I did that, the hand started moving up and took me along. Lifted off the ground, I was traveling through the sky. Gray soon replaced blue; the sky wasn’t dark, but the gray was opaque. I couldn’t see anything except solid gray as I continued to ascend.
And I anticipated what was next–heaven! I remembered at least that much from catechism! Even though there was nothing around me, I was sure I’d soon see the most beautiful scenery imaginable. And best of all, I’d see God!
Except that I woke up!
Boy, was I frustrated! I couldn’t go back to sleep and resume the dream. (Ever try that?) All I could do was sit in bed and process what I’d envisioned. And contemplate what it meant.
What did it mean?
Years later when I was a young adult, I recounted the dream to a friend of mine. A computer technician, he knew how to identify and solve problems with precision. He explained that since back then I wasn’t a believer in Jesus as my Savior, God couldn’t show me heaven. I didn’t qualify to be there.
Nodding my head, I felt torn inside. I agreed with his biblical logic but hesitated. Couldn’t God have been gracious enough to give me a peek of glory anyway? Who would it hurt?
Deep down, I disagreed with my friend because I had interpreted the dream as a sign of specialness. I separated myself from the others at the picnic, I alone saw the large hand, and it carried only me. Special indeed!
But my friend was on the right track. The dream didn’t emphasize that I was extraordinary; it revealed who God is.
Powerful
The size of the hand expresses the awesome power of God. As the prophet Isaiah asks,
“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?” – Isaiah 40:12
God’s bigger than me, He’s larger than a crowd, or a field, or even the entire earth. God holds everything in His hands!
But this truth is also personal. As the Lord also says through Isaiah,
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
God wants to relate to us as the One who comes to our aid. Once again, the words of the prophet:
“For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.’” – Isaiah 41:13
Spiritual
The omnipotent God made all the forms of matter and energy, but He’s not confined to the universe He created. As Jesus teaches,
“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” – John 4:24
The translucence of God’s hand illustrates this point. His hand was neither solid nor clear. I could see it, but I could also see through it. This expresses the nature of the spiritual; it’s real but easy to overlook.
There are times when the spiritual realm overwhelms us. God’s grace grabs our attention, His love touches our hearts, and His mercy rescues us. On such occasions, we begin to see a larger world. Where we’ve been living and how we’ve been living, seem too small, too narrow; our interest in them diminishes. God draws us away and calls us to embrace a new dimension.
Application
To witness the spiritual is one thing; to become spiritual is something else. It’s not a matter of seeking or striving; spiritual life resembles the divine which comes to us only as a gift. As the apostle Paul describes Jesus,
“Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” – 1 Timothy 3:16
Accepting Jesus as Lord, following Him in discipleship, makes us spiritual.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” – Ezekiel 36:26-27
What does this spiritual journey involve? And what awaits us at the end? The psalmist answers:
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” – Psalm 16:11
Take the hand of Jesus and walk with Him. As you do, you will know His presence here and see His presence there!
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