Another Chance
This Sunday, a new lady was sitting on the front pew. She was dressed in plain, ordinary clothes. She was pleasant to look at, but not exceptionally beautiful. She looked familiar, like someone I had once known, but hadn’t seen in a while.
The lady turned her head towards me. I realized that I’d been staring at her, and I’d been caught. My face blushed crimson red. My wife, Doris gave me one of her warning frowns which I’ve learned to interpret as, “Whatever you’re thinking, you need to pay attention to what’s more important in church!”
The service continued as normal. From time to time I’d sneak a quick glance at that lady on the first row, trying to remember who she was, but careful not to draw attention to myself, and not to get caught looking at her.
At the end of the service, I quickly headed out the door so that I could shake hands with the congregation members as they parted. For a few seconds, everyone stayed inside to put on their coats and hats before stepping out of the warm church. That Sunday had been an unusually cold day.
I was elated that the woman from the front row was the first church person to come out, besides myself. She looked right at me, and this time I recognized her. She was a church member who had died about 5 years ago!
“How are you here?” I blurted out. And why did you come?”
“Time’s almost over,” she answered. That’s all she said, and she was gone - vanished into thin air.
After everyone had left the building, Doris and I walked across the street to our house. She asked me what in the world was I in such deep thought about that distracted me from the service.
“Did you notice the lady on the front pew?” I asked.
“Are you kidding me?” she answered. “Nobody ever sits on that front row. And there was no one sitting there today, either. You must have fallen asleep in church again. You’ve had a dream.”
Even in my dreams Doris is right, like she is when I’m awake. Everything you just read about the lady from Heaven, and what she said before vanishing, actually happened in a dream. Before you ask me, “No: I wasn’t sleeping in church!”
Why am I telling you of a dream I had in my bed, instead of studying Bible scriptures with you? Because God communicates to us sometimes in dreams ( Genesis 20: 1- 8; 37: 6- 11; Numbers 12: 6; Daniel 7: 1; Matthew 2: 12- 13,19). And that one of the most important messages that he gives us concerning Jesus Christ’s return is simply, “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not” ( Luke 12: 40).
“For the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” ( Luke 21: 26- 28).
Maybe you’ve had dreams about Christ returning from Heaven, too. And a “knowing” that the COVID pandemics, storms, earthquakes, wars, rumors of war, and corruption happening in our generation are more than mere coincidences: they’re signs that something even bigger and much more important is just around the corner. Be not dismayed: be encouraged. Our redemption is drawing nigh.