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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

The Dove's Eye


The night was black in the little town where I grew up.  People flocked to the local store, now locked tight, windows barred dark.  With nowhere to buy food, the panic-stricken wandered about the streets chaotic, unsure of where to go or what to do.  I felt trapped in the surge, claustrophobic, unable to move.

Towering above the crush of dazed and fearful faces I caught sight of my husband.  He was escaping the crowd, leaving me behind.  A sense of abandonment fell heavy, freezing my tears with the cold.  I tried desperately to get to him--shouted his name.  But he couldn't see or hear me for the tumult.
Devastated, I broke free of the rush and found a quiet place to rest leaning against the white-washed wall of the old Post Office.  I watched and waited, hoping to catch another glimpse, hoping he would remember and come back.
He did, just when I was about to give up.  But again, he appeared not to see or hear me, and instead, got into a shiny red truck and sped off up the hill toward main street.  I followed behind on foot, somehow keeping up.
As I walked with eyes glued to his back, his head and shoulders shining through the rear window, a song rose from within, gentle at first, but then in power and strength.  It was as if all of heaven was singing in the heart of me.  Joyful words flooded my senses until I could no longer hold them. 
The song escaped my lips with exuberance, propelling me forward, lifting me up and out of the fog.  The more I sang, the taller and stronger and bolder I grew.  The words were alive!
There is great, great, Great
Victory in the dove's eye.

There is great, great, Great
Victory in the Lord.
There is great, great Grace.
There is victory in the dove's eye.

There is great, great Grace.
There is victory in the Lord.
Oddly, the sides of my husband's red truck expanded to the left and right, taking up full the width of the road.   Neighbors began to come out of their houses and cheer us on.  I felt exhilarated, as if we were heroes being celebrated in a parade.  And I realized there were people following.

Suddenly, my eyes were opened to things I hadn't seen.  I noticed hard-rock wall on either side of me.  My husband was cutting a way through the mountain that had loomed ahead all those years.  The relentless opposition and oppression, the hopelessness and depression--all of it was leaving as he plowed.  And the sky burned brighter by the second. 
I continued to sing with heavenly voices, rejoicing in his accomplishment.  And I realized I was entering into a place in the Spirit that I had been longing for all my life.  Not only did I have dove's (single) eyes for my husband, I was in The Dove's eye.  It was a feeling I can't put into words. I knew I was born to live in this place of divine favor and victory.
When I woke, I could hardly speak, I was so alive with joy and power.  Then everything began to fade.  When I tried to sing the words of the song I was disappointed because they were no longer the same as in the dream. 
What I didn't realize is that somewhere deep a vein of faith--that of the Lord's-- had been imparted in my spirit.  I would need this for the days ahead.  In dreams, my husband is often symbolic of Jesus.  In this dream Jesus had come to show me He was making a way where there had seemed to be no way--not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit. 
As I look back over 2010 it is clear that I needed joy and strength like never before.  It was a hard year!  A year of pruning, of losing my job and so much more.  (I wrote about it here.)  There were many times I wanted to give up.  But God! 
He poured grace in dreams, and gave strategies and strength for the days when I didn't want to go on.  He showed me how I simply needed to be like the dove--to fix my gaze and wait on Him, put my trust in Him and watch His victory come as I sang heaven's song.

I am still singing His song, and giving thanks to Him for bringing me through.



You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers.  I'm about to burst with song; I can't keep quiet about you.  God, my God,  I can't thank you enough.           

~ Psalm 30:11-12, The Message


Please, don't discount your dreams.  They are your own symbolic language for interpreting what can't always be seen or heard or understood with your natural senses.  Pray and ask Holy Spirit to guide you.  I have been journaling and praying over mine for years.  It is amazing what you can learn from dreams!




In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

~ Acts 2:17, NIV


On this day of grace I thank Jesus for...

176.  His victory
177.  His love
178.  His favor
179.  His power
180.  His joy


I am a little late, but I am joining Ann Voskamp and the community of gratitude-givers in appreciating God's graces.  Click on the button below to read other grace lists....




holy experience



I am also posting @ Peter Pollock's One Word Blog Carnival where today's word is reflection,  and linking up with Jen from Finding Heaven for Soli Deo Gloria. Come join us!


 Click to read more about my Journey of Gratitude.

Photo Courtesy:  flickr - Dawn Huczek

17 comments:

  1. Not only is this beautifully written, poetic, graceful, and full of truth, but it is such an encouragement and testament to the depth and awesomeness of our Father. So glad you came today.

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  2. your words touched me deep within..His words do that don't they? The more we reach out..I reach out the more there is to receive..Oh God we love you
    thank you for sharing:)

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  3. Thank you for this lovely post...I have just begun to journal my dreams and ask the Lord to use this as another way to speak...
    Blessings

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  4. awesome!
    gave me an uplifting feeling!
    thank you!

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  5. Not by might, not by power, but by his Spirit – I am having to remember this too Melissa. Your words, like they always do, helped. I’ve often thought our dreams are “me” working through things, and “me” talking to me.

    But I don’t sleep like regular people do anymore. It has to be drug induced, it’s never normal, it’s never good enough, and the dreams – the nights they are most vivid – those are the nights sleep is the worst.

    I get into the dream, the REM sleep, then my body rudely kicks me out of that level of sleep – or wakes me all the way up, then I go back to sleep and pick it up. So it’s vivid because it gets worked on through the night – in pieces. But it leaves me with not much brain to remember it as I wake for the final time of the night – and they flee almost as soon as I open my eyes. It’s complicated.

    But everyone has their thing. I can’t believe I whined like that. Sorry. Not by might, not by power, by His Spirit. Amen. God Bless and Keep.

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  6. There is so much I could share about sleeping and dreams that I have learned over the years. I used to have nightmares a lot, and I would wake with fear and distress. But through prayer I discovered my dreams were actually communicating to me (often symbolically) spiritual matters--conditions in my own soul, and in the people and places around me.

    I learned to work with the Holy Spirit, who would often lead me to Scripture, other believers, songs on the radio, nature, etc., to interpret and solve these "mysteries." The Lord showed me there was a lot of generational stuff hanging around that I was sensitive to in the spirit, oppression coming from the enemy through people and situations, and sins of unforgiveness and unbelief/fear in my own heart that I couldn't see in the natural.

    I have gotten free of so much, and have learned to pray for others as God shows me. God reveals himself and His word to me in dreams more than any other way.

    It used to be when I would study and pray and worship the Lord, I always found myself falling asleep, and I would get so upset at myself! Then someone mentioned to me that maybe the sleep was of God. And I realized it was--when I fall asleep I have visions and hear things that I am not able to tune into while awake. It has become a spiritual discipline with me.

    When I lay down to sleep at night I always pray and give my spirit, soul and body to the Lord. And I ask Him for dreams. The more I give attention to them, journal and pray about them, the more I dream, and the easier I remember them. (I am also careful about what I give entry to during the day--what I think about, watch and listen to and read.)

    As believers our spirits are already one with God's Spirit, but our souls and bodies must be (sanctified) trained to fall in line under His lordship--even when we sleep.

    Also, there are tormenting spirits that come to steal our peace and our sleep. They oppose the good of God and gain access through fear/worry/stress/unbelief or curses others have spoken against us. Sometimes things that happened to us as children opened doors of torment that we don't know how to close. If any of this rings true with you (and I have no idea without talking to you personally) I pray now in Jesus' name that any stronghold established by the enemy would be captured by Christ, healed and sealed by His Spirit, and that your sleep would be completely restored. That all curses and every spirit not of God would be silenced by the blood of the Lamb and His work on the cross. I release His peace and rest upon you in abundance. And may your dreams be sweet!

    Many blessings!

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  7. Thank you for sharing this ... God communicates so much through dreams.

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  8. Fascinating! What a vivid picture. I felt myself rushing out of the house to cheer you on!

    God bless you in the coming year!

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  9. I often don't remember my dreams. But God has spoken through them, many times. I appreciate this reminder. I hadn't thought about journaling them and praying over them. I thoroughly like that idea. Thanks, Melissa!

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  10. I have been having many dreams of late about those dear to me which is causing me to pray for them more. You're comment about dreams speaks directly to me. I too used to have tormenting dreams. Most people don't believe me when I say this but I dream every night and most days can wake up and remember the majority of the dreams. Unfortunately I don't record them all I'm thinking I should get back into that habit, especially in this season we are in. I too had a hard year... a lot of stripping away. I encourage you to read this post by my pastor on her blog yesterday about what the Lord is speaking to his children for the coming year. I hope it encourages you even more! http://daughtersofz.typepad.com/daughters_of_z/2010/12/ears-to-hear-5.html

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  11. Thank you, Melissa! Such a wonderful, transparent post! Thanks for challenging us to pay more attention to our dreams. I hope you will keep on teaching us. Sincere thanks! May God continue to bless you richly!

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  12. but God! isn't this always the way it is? you are so open, friend. your life is a prayer.

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  13. Melissa,
    I'm getting here late, but I'm so glad to find you through Jen's link-up. This is so beautifully written, and something I think many people can connect with!

    Great place and I love your header. Super cute.

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  14. Simply breathtaking yet again. You have a sparkling gift of words Melissa.

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  15. Blessings to all of you! I so appreciate the love and light, the hope and beauty you all shine--each so uniquely and God-like. I am thankful to have met you this year--I have been so blessed by your gifts and stories. Please keep sharing!

    @Adrienne: Your pastor's prophetic word of encouragement is just that, and I so needed to hear God's call to soar in this season. Earlier this year the Lord was speaking to me that before I could soar I had to get out of the nest. He removed every comfort. For me to soar now would be a miracle, a work all His doing--I am waiting for the breath of His Spirit to lift me on wings like the eagle. Thank you so much for sharing!

    I pray we soon get our flying orders for the new year, and are infused with great power, wisdom and strength to soar into the heavenlies--to bring back treasures for the hungry, the weary, the poor--for His glory!

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  16. Your dream transfixed me and I was drawn to your understanding that your husband was Jesus in the dream. Yes, God himself is tearing down the walls and opening doors, destroying chains and giving freedom to "fly." Dreams often have meaning and I believe you are blessed in journaling them. I do not dream much, and your suggestion to pray for the Holy Spirit to minister during sleep is enlightening. I am interested in healing the past, and am working on a post for later on, entitled: Loss of Dignity and Restoration!

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  17. That's cool. I'm always glad to hear others share their dream experiences. Too many tend to blow off dreams these days instead of exploring them. We never know what wisdom God imparts while we're sleeping. :)

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I welcome and appreciate your kind words and comments.