I had a very vivid dream

I

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

 I had a very vivid dream tonight.I saw Maria  and she was alive. It was a Sunday and we were getting ready for church. She was happy to see us. We were happy to have her back. Hugs were exchanged.We brought her to church all the while wondering what people might think when they saw our little girl. After all they watched us as we walked our painful lonely path of grief. I was excited about comparing this to a resurrection story of what Christ did for us. Maria was alive. God allowed her to come back to us.  She looked the same as the night she passed away in 2007.  Same smile, same mannerisms.We brought her to church and right away friends of ours came over and were excited for us. A miracle had happened. She's alive! She came back. She sat with us in church. Once again I felt like a father of two kids. Life's was good. 

Throughout the service we sat with Maria. At the end of the service we said our usual good byes to friends. As we walked toward the exit I saw that Maria had disappeared. She was gone. She left us..  I was sad, bewildered, and wondered why God did this again to us? Then I woke up. God reminded me that His son Jesus Christ was resurrected for all of us. Jesus conquered death for all of  us so when our loved ones die they are immediately in the presence of Jesus Christ and all the angels of heaven.

 As I thought about my dream how often do we feel like we are in the presence of Jesus only when we go to church, or when we sing our vocal cords out, and after we hear our Pastor preach a message from the bible but when we return home we feel  empty again?  I was excited when I saw that God had allowed us to see our daughter, but when Maria left us I was sad.We want to feel spiritually filled, but we have to do the work of being filled. 

Not just going to church on Sundays, but finding time each day to be in the word of God and to be still so we hear His voice. Perhaps, that is the meaning of this dream tonight. To be still and let God speak to me.  I will one day see my daughter again and for that I am very thankful, but more importantly I have Jesus Christ who wants to spend time with me every day of my breathing life if only I would take time to be with Him. All I have to do is be still and allow God to stir my heart.  All I h ave to do is be still.

 My yearning to be with the one who died may be simply be my need to spend time each day with my savior who died for me and made a place for me. If you find yourself in this predicament of being spiritually dry maybe God is trying to get your attention to 'be still' just along enough so He can speak to you through his word.