Yesterday morning I awoke with the fierce need to pray.
I had come out of a dream that (like most of my dreams) I can make little sense of. In this case I had returned to university (more or less at my current age) and was apparently wandering around a dorm for some reason (I have not seen the inside of a college dorm since the early '90's). The mix of students there all seemed to be "college" aged (e.g. I stuck out like a sore thumb) but my presence there did not seem particularly unusual.
At some point a young woman came through wondering where X was. I had no idea of course, and off she went. What I realized as I continued to wander through the halls to the outdoors was that a number of people were suddenly looking for other people that had seemingly disappeared.
The Rapture, I thought. The Rapture has come and I missed it.
And then I woke up.
We can have - at another date perhaps - a discussion about the Book of Revelations and whether one is a pre/post/a millennialist and lose ourselves in a debate on the end times. What struck me in this instance was, waking up, I felt the need to pray. And I am not someone that believes myself to have any manner of prophetic dreams, nor do I particularly read anything into this one. But it has been a great while since I awoke with the need to feel that I should do something - right then.
There was no great sense of what I needed to pray for, so I went through my usual round of prayer petitions (as I have said before, you are all on the list as well). That did not lessen up the need to pray though, and it is even still with me as I write this, and so I shall bear in mind praying throughout the day (which, I might add, I am generally pretty bad at).
I will say that it has been a long time that God has put such a thing on my heart, for what it is worth.
The other thing - and I will just put this out here because, having the thought present, there is undoubtedly someone that needs to hear this - is that you are loved. Loved by God of course; loved (much more brokenly) by me. I am not sure why this matters in the post, other than Uisdean Ruadh's recent trials have minded me that given the modern world, we may hear those words often, but not in a form or way that it is actually meant.
Praying for all of you,
Your Obedient Servant, Toirdhealbheach Beucail
Thank you for your prayers. We all need all the kelp we can get.
ReplyDeleteInteresting dream. Maybe thoughts of your daughters about to enter college or other institution far away may have spurred it ?
You are quite welcome.
DeleteI really have no idea what triggered it. Sometimes I can look back and say "ah, this is what I was dwelling on that day". In this case, I really have very little that comes to mind. Maybe dwelling on my own missed opportunities.
A timely last paragraph TB, talking to a thoracic surgeon this AM about....options. By the way......snow flurries now here.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll have lots of prayers.
DeleteOh No Nylon12! I was hoping for better news. I am so sorry. Continuing to pray, of course.
DeleteIndeed he will Glass Lass, at least as long I as I have anything to do with it
DeleteSome of my worst dreams occurred in a college setting. Mine however involved forgetting that I had a class until finals week. It always causes me to wake up in panic.
ReplyDeleteEd, I have had similar ones, but they are always about my job now and how I go to start a meeting and realize the presentation has been eaten by the computer...
DeleteMy dreams usually stay in the dark. I rarely remember them. The ones I do remember are not fit to print. No idea why.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your prayers. And thank you for the posts about your morning "rituals". I was convicted in my heart about my lack of Bible study and reading. It's been too hit and miss. So, I started a Bible study with a favorite pastor (the whole series in on YT!!). Thank you for your fine example.
And so pre- I don't eat Post Toasties..... ;)
STxAR, I do not remember many of them. That is why this one stood out.
DeleteYou are of course welcome. I am glad that my morning rituals are helping you to start yours. And that sounds like a lovely way to do it.
It is funny about pre/post/a - I have seen so much literary ink and figurative blood spilled on the matter, I have simply given up. As I tell people, if one dies today, that is effectively your Apocalypse and whether you were pre, post, or a, it does not matter now.
How interesting that your "college dream" turned into an "I missed the Rapture!" dream. My college dreams seem to revolve around graduation and realizing I don't have enough credits.
ReplyDeleteI take comfort in knowing you're praying for all of us, even if it's just a "blanket prayer" for your readers. I remember feeling bereft when my last aunt died, knowing I didn't have any from that generation praying for me anymore.
Kelly, I literally have no idea how I went from one to the other. I do very distinctly remember that no-one else seemed bothered by this. That was equally surprising.
DeleteI will be honest: sometimes I remember to do all the bloggers posted to the left and posters, and sometimes it seems to be "and everybody that reads the blog". Ultimately, of course, I am sure the intent is what matters more, not the specifics. And you are most certainly welcome.
You're feeling your mortality, TB. The people who are looking for people who aren't there anymore; you mentioned your friend who passed recently. You're thinking about who and where you were then, and who and where you are now. Time and people have come and gone, and yet you're still in the game.
ReplyDeletePrayer is a good choice at this point, as invariably the questions arise as to why your friends are gone and you're still here, and to questions of God's continued purpose for you. This can lift you up or bury you.
Pray... Then listen... God WILL answer...
Thanks for your prayers. I'll pray for you as well!
Pete, that is actually a very cogent point - and one, quite frankly, that I have been dwelling on for the last few days. There is almost a sense now of "who is next", which is certainly not terribly healthy either.
DeletePrayer certainly does more that idle speculation, even if I do not feel that it does. I have started to ask more after purpose, especially in these times.
You are quite welcome, and I appreciate your prayers as well.
TB, I am touched and encouraged by this post. Encouraged to hear of men (I don't know why men, especially, but yes, especially men) are woken up with an urgency or a sense to pray. Whatever the reason is, I appreciate that you prayed. And shared this here. Thank you. Praying a prayer of gratitude for you...
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Becki. Who knows - the whole reason of the dream may be just encourage someone else to pray. God has moved in far less mysterious ways.
DeleteI've been dreaming of a flood.
ReplyDeleteInteresting Just So. In terms of being overwhelmed personally, I can see that.
DeleteGreatly appreciate the prayers, TB. I am a vivid dreamer and have the common dreams of getting to the end of a semester and never having been to class or, like Kelly, not having enough credits to graduate, or, the worst, having to take a math class! I also dream about previous jobs a lot. As I often saying jokingly (kind of), once I finally decide to go to therapy, I'll give someone a lot to work with!
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome Bob. To be frank, I probably could make someone's doctoral thesis with my issues!
DeleteThank you. Nice thought for to see on a Thursday night.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome John. Honestly, I am sure more people do it than we think; probably just a good idea to be more public about it than we are.
Delete