“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, and old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my spirit in those days and they will prophesy.” (Acts 2:17,18 Joel 2:28-32).
In Monday’s post I wrote about the Tug-of-War of Faith and told you God had tossed me a rope, a sign of encouragement, to believe in His power on this earth and in my life. What I’m sharing with you today was the rope. I can’t explain how I knew this vision wasn’t my own concoction of pictures in my head except it was not only something I saw in my mind but felt it in my spirit. The Bible speaks of men who had dreams and visions so it is in faith that I step out of the boat and share this with you today.
In my vision I was a mouse. Yes, a mouse! But I was a happy mouse who stood beside heavy, red velvet draperies that opened only when someone went through them to the room inside. I knew that I was in heaven, and I was peering into a room holding a grand dinner party. The colors in the room were rich and warm and laughter flowed as freely as the wine and food that lined the great banquet tables. I think people were wearing crowns because of the perception of gold in my spirit. Nevertheless, there was royalty in the room yet no one was nervous or scared. It was as if it were a royal reunion. There were smiles and laughter, great peace and joy filling the room. I knew Jesus was in there, but I couldn’t see His face. Even though I couldn’t go inside, I was happy and content. I was just so glad to be there, even if only at the door.
When I had this vision I wasn’t sure how to interpret it; I knew it was a vision of heaven, and I knew how very excited and satisfied I was to be that mouse. When I would tell friends about it, they thought it rather odd that I was pleased to be a mouse in heaven unable to go through the curtains to the banquet. That was strange, but these thoughts couldn’t change my contentment. I was totally happy to be that mouse and to observe the feast.
(Fast forward about 3 years.)
The other day this vision came back to my mind. Again, it brought a warm feeling to my spirit and a smile on my face. But just as soon as I remembered it, I was struck by another thought. I believe this time God gave me revelation of its meaning:
My form of a mouse and my position at the entrance of the heavenly banquet is symbolic of my purpose for today. The vision does not reveal my place in heaven but of my place on this earth. For sometime now, especially after Christy’s battle, I’ve become painfully aware of the short amount of time we have on this earth. I’ve been persuaded more than ever of the need for an eternal picture of things– a need for my eyes to be placed on heaven and for my mouth and pen to turn others’ eyes to such perspective. Thus, the mouse!
What would happen if we all started living with the one purpose of heaven? Not striving to get there, because we know we can’t do that. Jesus is our cover. He paid the price for our entrance, but scripture does tell us of judgment for our rewards. It tells us we will be judged for the words we have spoken. How would our lives change today if our eyes were taken off our shoelaces and placed upon the life we will live for eternity?
Forgive me if I’m sounding like a broken record- I’ll work on that! In the meantime be strengthened with Paul’s words and if today finds you a little blue or frustrated or down- right sick of the struggle in this world, may I invite you to a new purpose beyond surviving.
“Not that I’ve already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, (Sisters,) I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining to what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14).
