(Another older writing)
Given the scriptures exhortations about the importance of love, it is critical for Christ’s followers to understand what that word means to Him. To that end, the Lord gave me a series of visions that helped to clarify the relationship that He desires to have. Hopefully, they will bring some clarity for others as well.
(Gratitude)
As I pondered what it means to truly love the Lord, He gave me a vision of standing at the front door of my old house, looking out the screen door. Across the street was an apartment complex, which had a bus stop directly in front of it. The road between was not zoned for a residential area, and so the cars normally came through at a very high rate of speed.
In the vision I looked across the street to the bus stop and saw what appeared to be a young mother, with a child (approximately 3 yrs old) busily exploring the ground around her feet. As I watched, the mother received a cell phone call, which took her attention off of the child, who immediately began to wander onto the roadway. Knowing how the traffic moved through this area, I was alarmed and ran out the door. At the edge of the road I could see that my fears were warranted, as a car was rapidly closing in on the child.
Instinctively I ran toward him, violently grabbing him under his arms and diving toward the edge of the road; just as the screeching tires of the car passed by us. We hit the ground hard, before rolling to a stop on the grass. There was what seemed to be a frozen moment of silence, as the shock of what just happened washed over us; but that silence was quickly shattered by the fearful screams of the child and the loud cries of his mother.
As I scrambled to ensure that the boy was OK, his hysterical mother ran to us; as did the driver of the now stopped car. Upon seeing that the boy wasn’t seriously hurt, I lifted him into his mother’s arms, as she managed to repeat thank you, thank you, thank you, through her sobs. As I looked into the faces of the mother, her child and the panic stricken driver, the vision ended and the Lord began to speak.
“Do you think that they are grateful?” He said
“Absolutely”, I replied
“If I asked them if they loved you, what do you think that they’d say?” He continued
“In this moment I would suppose that they may say that they did”, I replied
“Do you believe that they love you?” He asked
“I think that they love what I did, but they really don’t know me, so I don’t see how they could honesty love me”, I said.
“This is how many of the people who say that they love Me are; they are grateful for what I’ve done for them, but they don’t really know me at all”
From this exchange with the Lord, I derived that while we should be grateful for His sacrifice on the cross, we cannot mistake that gratitude for the loving relationship that He’s called us to.
(Explicit Love)
As I pondered how I might bless the Lord’s heart, He gave me a vision of a man (in his mid to late forties) walking through his house and buttoning his shirt. The house was dark and after a couple seconds I realized it was before dawn and that he was getting ready for work. As he passed by his children’s bedrooms, he paused to check on them as they slept and then he quietly slipped out the door.
I then saw him at work on a construction site, where he appeared to be the Foreman or maybe a Construction Engineer. He was working hard and providing direction to several different people; I could see from their response that they respected him and what he was telling them.
The scene then shifted back to his home, as he came in the kitchen to drop off his lunch bucket and checked the “Honey Do List” on the refrigerator. I then saw him outside his house, working on a ladder, apparently repairing something near the rain gutters. The house and the yard looked immaculate, as if a lot of care had been expended on them.
The scene once again shifted and he was now sitting down with his family for dinner. I watched as they bowed their heads and blessed the food. After dinner, I saw the man hard at work on his computer, as his children came to say goodnight to him. While he acknowledged the children briefly; he seemed immersed in his work. It appeared to be very late when his wife came by to say goodnight as well. Sometime later, he walked back through the darkened house, put on his night clothes and slipped into bed. As he lay in bed, the Lord began to speak.
“What do you think of this man?” He asked
“He seems to be a very good man to me Lord”, I replied
“Do you think that he loves his family?” He continued
“Oh yes”, I said
“What makes you think so?” He asked
“Because he seems to work hard, they have a beautiful home and he seems to take good care of them”, I said
“Do they feel loved?” He asked
“I would think so”, I replied
“Look closer”, He said
As I moved around his bed, I could see his wife’s face; and to my surprise she wasn’t asleep. As I came closer, I could see that there were tears in her eyes. As I moved down the hall and looked at the faces of the children, they too were awake and also had tears in their eyes.
“I don’t understand Lord, why are they so sad?” I asked
“Because they love this man”, He replied
“But he clearly loves them, don’t they understand?” I asked
“He wants them to understand that he loves them because of all that he is doing for them, but they would all be willing to sacrifice some of these comforts if it meant that they could have more time with him”, the Lord said, “You see this is how many of My children are with Me; they want Me to derive the fact that they love Me by all of the things that they do for Me; but I’d be much more pleased just to spend time with them”.
From this I concluded that while our actions should reflect our love of the Lord, we must be careful that our love for Him doesn’t become implied (i.e. implicit), as opposed to being expressed (i.e. explicit). I felt like the Lord said that if a faith that never acts is dead; what is the value of a love that is never truly expressed?
(The Desires of Our Heart)
As I pondered what it means to be passionate for the Lord, he gave me the following vision.
As she stepped out of the hotel lobby and onto the busy Manhattan sidewalk, she could sense the electricity in the air. The boulevards were jammed with people and cars, not unlike the streets that she’d grown up with in Calcutta (or Kolkata as it is known in India). But to her the atmosphere was totally different. Despite the affluent appearance of her hometown, she viewed it as a monument to a bygone era; an oasis of civility in a largely third world culture.
New York City seemed different to her; modern and progressive. America was not some third world country; it was the nation of the great middle class, where average people expected the next generation to progress beyond the current one.
As she walked along the crowded avenue the possibilities seemed endless, as exotic smells filled her nostrils, unfamiliar sounds rang in her ears, and inviting scenes seemed to unfold at every turn. She found it intoxicating, as she spent hours strolling through shops, galleries and plazas; simply taking in the ambience of the city.
Every once in a while, a wave of sadness would wash over her as she remembered that the Travel Visa, which allowed her to be in this country, would soon expire; and that she would have to return home. This trip had been a graduation gift from her parents, and she was due to start Medical School in a few weeks. But this is where she wanted to be, and the thought of going back was excruciating to her. She quickly pushed these thoughts and feelings aside, as to not waste the precious time that remained.
As she passed through the doorway of the exclusive restaurant, she saw Michael waiting for her. When he saw her, his face broke into a broad smile. Failing to conceal his excitement, he quickly made his way to her. He helped her with her coat and they were soon seated at a little table by the window, which overlooked Times Square. She had met Michael a few days after arriving in New York, and he had persistently pursued spending time with her ever since. He was a successful business man, in his mid-thirties, and he seemed very eager for them to cultivate a relationship.
While she had every reason to be attracted to Michael, his earnest manner made her somewhat uncomfortable. She loved the places that he’d taken her, and enjoyed the attention that he lavished upon her, but she couldn’t seem to get herself excited about the relationship that he seemed to long for. As they waited to order their food, Michael stared at her intently; totally enthralled by her dark eyes and almond colored skin. Yet, she seemed oblivious, as she stared out the window, apparently mesmerized by the bustle of the cityscape.
After their food was ordered, Michael’s face grew serious. He told her that he understood that her time in America would soon be over, and of how sad he was at the thought that they might never see each other again. Though his grief seemed to rest more on the latter thought, hers rested firmly on the former. His face brightened some as he explained that it didn’t need to be that way. Reaching into his pocket, Michael produced a small felt covered box, pushing it across the table to her. A wave of trepidation swept over her as she realized what was happening.
His face was glowing with love as he said, “You could stay here and be my Bride”?
Her head spun at the sound of his words. She knew that her feelings for him were not nearly as strong as his were for her. Truthfully, she didn’t really know him very well; though she had to admit to herself that her desire to know him better wasn’t that strong. On the other hand, agreeing to this proposal would mean that she could remain in this place, which she’d come to view as a sort of paradise. The thought of returning to the oppressive atmosphere of her homeland was overwhelming to her. The thought of becoming a naturalized citizen in this country was like a dream come true. This was her chance for the life that she yearned for; how could she even consider saying no.
As she opened the felt box, she saw the spectacular diamond ring that he’d picked out for her. He pulled the ring from the holder and taking her hand, he gently slipped it onto her finger. It fit perfectly and flashes of light erupted from it with every movement; she found herself captivated by it.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“Oh yes!” she replied, without looking at him.
When she was finally able to pull her eyes from the ring, she looked into Michael’s face. She could see that he was stricken in anticipation of her answer.
She finally whispered, “How could I say no?”
Michael made no attempt to conceal his delight, and people from other tables began to look at them. She was embarrassed, but he was unashamed to share his joyful report with anyone who would listen. As Michael ordered Champagne for everyone in the restaurant, and continued in excited conversation with those around him, she stared out the window at her new home, and smiled.
At the end of the vision I felt like the Lord said, “This is a picture of my Bride. She yearns to live in my Kingdom, she yearns for the things that this marriage will afford her, she yearns for the treasures of my store houses, but she doesn’t necessarily yearn for Me.”
While the Lord intends for His Kingdom to be inviting and to be lavish with His children, I believe His heart yearns for a Bride who will love Him for who He is. I pray that we would become such a Bride.
The eyes of the Lord range (i.e. run to and fro) throughout the earth, to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9)
From the book, “Along the King’s Highway” by Bryan J. Corbin
Published in 2008 (ISBN 978-1-4363-6965-7)
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