A Civil War Dream

Thu, Oct 18, 2012
A few days ago, like so many Americans, I watched the presidential debates. I recorded this yesterday…

Last night I had the Civil War Dream…

Once the screaming stops and your mind comes back to some semblance of reason, you realize “this did not go the way you planned.”

I find there are many areas of my life that could use a tweak. As I showered, I meditated on some things I had read earlier this morning. I will not lie. One of the thoughts was “do I have value?” Some of the things I read just seemed so “out of touch” to me. I can only imagine the first steps of a missionary to a land where his language is not theirs. Where customs and foods and clothing are so different. I feel as though I am in a world where my culture, my upbringing has so little value. I am not complaining, just processing.

In a dream I find myself in Pennsylvania. I am traveling with a young family. We stop on the side of the road. The hillside appears war torn. I sense that even gold has little value here. (Such an unusual thought.) The trees, the rocks, the ground, all cry out for “justice and mercy.” The smell of blood begins to affect my nostrils. I realize that I am picking up the sounds of battle, the cry of the injured and the dying.

The dream begins to pick up pace. Even in the dream I feel my heart pumping. My hands shaking. “What about this family.” I look over at the children, so unaware of what is happening. The parents are starting to take notice. The food they so carefully prepared and put out on the picnic cloth is no longer the focus. The children begin to perceive “noise” from the woods. They start to pull in from the edge of the forest.

I wake up. It took some time to process, but I realized I was picking up “civil war.” The more I contemplated, some of the things I had heard over the years, the more I became sure. First let me define civil war…a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country. This definition gives me reason for concern. As I look at what some call “class warfare” I see the possibility of civil war. As I see the variances created by parties and the like…I see civil war.

So what changes that? You and I . “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,” (2 Corinthians 5:18) Folks, it is time to reach out into the streets. God is not a Republican or a Democrat or even a Libertarian. He is God. Maker of Heaven and Earth.

Do, I think ‘civil war” is possible? Absolutely, I do. Do, I think People of faith can stop it? Absolutely. It is time to move our faith to the streets. Instead of seeing how many meetings we can do or how much enjoyment we can receive from God, it is time to “share!”