It
was only a dream; well, more like a nightmare!
I
awoke with a start on that Sunday morning as a result of the dream. While not
reality, the dream did contain foreboding images and sounds which would not
depart from my brain. Sensing something amiss, my wife asked me what was wrong.
I told her I was in a bad mood because of the dream.
For
the remainder of that day, I could not clear my head of the horrible events I
witnessed in my sleep. Some of my family interpreted my quietness and the
absence of interest in variable events of the day to mean I was angry. But,
that was not the case. It was not anger that troubled me; it was fear. This
fear arose out of what I envisioned in my dream and the possibility it may
foretell the future.
I’ve
never been one to put much credence in the interpretation of dreams. Usually, I
simply dismiss any which I recall once awake. God once revealed Himself to our
ancestors in dreams, but I’m not convinced He does so today. If He would give
us a dream for some purpose, that vision must align with the words of
Scripture. God’s revelation has been sealed for centuries; no new revelation is
being given, only illumination of His revealed Word. Therefore, I lay no claim
that this horrific dream was God-sent.
Nevertheless,
it remains with me days later. I’ve struggled with whether to share the content
of the dream or to keep it to myself. Furthermore, I’ve struggled with what, if
anything, I can do about it.
I’m
writing this article to explain what I dreamt and attempt to do something positive
from it.
First,
the reader must have some background on our family. My wife and I have nine,
grown children. All eleven of us, at one time or another, have professed Jesus
as our Lord and been immersed. Furthermore, we have eighteen grandchildren
ranging in age from one to twenty-five. Some of them have also made professions
of faith in Christ.
I
must also confess I have developed a ridiculous fear of crowds (ochlophobia)
over the past decade. On occasion, if I am in a large group of people, I become
extremely nervous and have an urgent need to extricate myself from the
situation. At times, I have successfully managed to control the fear. But, I
never know beforehand if I can do so.
With
that knowledge, I begin my recollection of my dream. It came to me in two
distinct parts.
First,
my entire family were visiting Disney World. We were walking around when my
ochlophobia began. After attempting to control it for a brief time, I told my
family I must leave them and return to the hotel room. To my dismay and
surprise, some of them laughed at me, some mocked me, and others yelled at me
for not seeing a doctor about my condition. None of this mattered to me, and I
departed for the solitude of the hotel room.
Second,
while relaxing in my room and recovering from my panic, I began to hear voices.
I sat up in my bed and distinctly heard the voices of some of my family.
Someone was shouting, “Dad, please help me.” Another screamed, “Grandpa, help!”
The voices became louder in volume and more in number.
Concerned
for my family’s well-being, I leapt from my bed, threw on my shoes, and bolted
for the door. Meanwhile, the voices were growing louder than before, repeatedly
pleading for my help. I was quivering from fear, wondering what might be happening
to them.
Then,
I flung open the door to the room.
On
the other side of the door was a massive chasm, the bottom completely out of sight.
Far down in that hole, orange flames and smoke were clearly visible. The sound
of steam was now added to the crying voices of my family.
Across
the chasm on the far ledge stood some of my family, both children and
grandchildren. Not all were there, and I could not make out any of their faces.
Yet, I knew they were the source of the pleas for help.
Standing
in the doorway of my room, I watched as my family members, one by one, were
pushed into this pit. Even as they fell, they were screaming for my aid, begging
me to rescue them.
I
could do nothing.
Then,
I awoke.
I
trust the reader now understands why this dream has dramatically affected me. I
suspect such a dream would haunt any parent. The larger and more important
question is what can I do with it? Simply forgetting the dream is not an
option, at least, not one for me.
Now
that all our children have left our home, they must live their own lives. I
have no authority over them and cannot demand their obedience to my religion. I
do my best not to offer advice to any of them unless asked. Some of them remain
active in local churches, hopefully a sign of their true faith. Others,
however, appear to have abandoned the faith, or, at least, no longer consider
it of importance. The only help I can offer my child is, first, that I will
pray for you, and, second, to exhort you either to return to the Lord you once
professed or to truly seek Him for the first time. For when the judgment comes,
and we stand on opposite sides of God’s throne, there is nothing I can do to
help you. Screaming for my assistance will prove useless. Jesus is your only hope.
My
grandchildren prove a special burden. I have exercised extreme caution over the
years with meddling in their lives. Their parents, not me, are responsible for
their upbringing. Even in the realm of religion, I have reluctantly refrained
from saying very much about Christ and salvation so not to override their
parents’ views. Yet, I fear some may not be learning about the danger that
awaits them and their need for Christ. What might I do to respect their parents
but assist my grandchildren? Well, as with your parents, I will pray for you,
grandchild. The Lord often moves in mysterious ways and He can reach you even
if your parents attempt to block His influence. Second, I will pray for your
parents. I will pray that, perhaps, they will have a similar dream in which
they are standing in the door and watching you being pushed into eternal
punishment. I will pray they come to their senses in the matter of God, sin,
Jesus, salvation, and eternal judgment. They have the responsibility to share
those things with you.
Lastly,
I will pray that, when judgment day comes, all my family, each one, stand on
the same side of God’s throne, believers in Jesus, prepared for eternity.
Oh,
and yes, we do live just off Elm Street!
