Gloryteller

Forenote: I hesitated to post this one because it is very personal and it will expose me to skepticism, cynicism, and scoffers. However, that doesn’t bother me much, for I once came from their front ranks. I’m encouraged that the battalion I belong to now has more truth, more love, more life, and more power than that motley band ever did. Don’t get me wrong, I love them still, just not their ill, or misbegotten, intentions. I’m posting mostly because God won’t leave me alone about it. He has a reason. This was a powerful message for me and I am led to share it. I’m secure knowing that this will encourage, confirm, comfort, enlighten, and/or answer someone who will read it. Is that person you? I would really like hearing from you, dear reader. Blessings from your Gloryteller.

                                                      ~ ~ ~

  I’m hardly ever visited with ‘visions’ but here’s the one I had recently:
Lying on my side in bed, ready for sleep, I was staring into the darkness when I saw someone lying in front of me in the same position I was. A figure approached the man. I instantly knew it was Jesus. He wore a white robe. On His head was the familiar, yet repulsive, circlet of thorns. I wondered why it was present on His head when it was so incongruous to the pure white robe. He bent over the man.
The man was me.
I was ‘out-of-body’, watching somehow. Jesus’ face was plain but pure; plain and beautiful at once; His expression, warmly compassionate. I was enthralled – couldn’t stop looking at His beautiful face – didn’t want to stop – ever. He spoke no words but gently touched ‘my’ shoulder. When His face was above ‘my’ face, it began to dissociate into pixel-like droplets which proceeded to ‘rain’ down. The droplets became like thousands of tears which formed a warm waterfall washing over my face. The tears were beautiful too because they had, only a moment ago, composed His most astonishing face. Then, contrary to my wish, the vision froze and slowly faded.
I was awake and alert the whole time, in fact, I raised my head in awe trying to see more.
The darkness had been a backdrop to His light and my vision – like a movie screen, kind of. How metaphoric! There was so much more going on in this than I can explain with mere words – but I have to try. My thanks and praises to my Lord Jesus:

It was about allowing my heart, not just my eyes, to see.
It was about his tender mercies just for me.
It was about death, and life, and lovingkindness.
It was about darkness behind and foreground brightness.
It was about His compassion; His grace.
It was about suffering and the beauty of His face.
It was about longing, and hope, and waking dreams.
It was Jesus revealing more of Himself to me.

My memory of that ‘waking dream’ is as vivid today as it was the moment it faded.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*