Higher

Hiking at Pinnacle in Berea, Kentucky
(A reprint)

Last night, I dreamed I was being chased. I was running. Stumbling. Trying to get away.

And just as my pursuers were upon me, someone took my hand. I felt instant relief. I wasn't afraid anymore. And I thought, 

“Yes, wow, he’ll protect me.” But it didn’t happen that way.

As I was about to be overtaken, this would-be protector lay behind a closed door talking about me. But there were others – they came out of nowhere and hid me.

One couple snuck me out of the city to a cabin in the mountains and I was safe there for a while. I lived there. I worked there. I shopped in the little surrounding city – then I saw the attackers again. I was really afraid and tried to run, but they cut me off and had me cornered. Then, out of nowhere, these men appeared.

They were sharp shooters, snipers. They picked off my attackers with absolute precision, and then took me higher up the mountain. Again, the villains found me, and again my protectors appeared out of nowhere.

They surrounded me.

Their guns were always drawn, and they aimed and fired at ANYTHING trying to harm me: they took them out. And then they lead me higher up the mountain.

This repeated over and over until at last I reached the mountaintop: I was free, safe, forever more and all over the mountain stood these men with their guns drawn, forever protecting me and assuring my safety.

It was off-the-chain awesome.

I woke this morning with a sense of rejoicing in my spirit – for several reasons.

For one, I’m maturing.

There was a time when persecution would come, and I’d be balled up somewhere ready to quit on God. I’d be questioning His love for me, wondering why he would allow such things to happen to me.

Not this time.

This time, I woke rejoicing as the disciples did. The bible says the apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. (Acts 5:41)

My second rejoicing came this morning as I lay there rethinking the dream: the truth of God’s word was so evident. My enemies were pushing me higher. God said they would. He said he would make my enemies my footstool, and that’s what footstools are used for: to take us higher, to help us reach something. (Psalm 110:10)

Isn’t that awesome?

Isn’t that incredible?

All the hurt, all the trauma, all the pain – is going to take us higher. What the enemy meant for evil, God is going to turn and use for good. (Gen. 50:20) And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purposes. (Romans 8:28)

Wow.

All those so-called friends.

All the lies.

All the back-stabbers.

All the gossipers.

All those tearing us down with their mouths and false testimonies – they’re going to push us higher. Beyond this, God said he would prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies.  (psalm 23:5) That’s good stuff: it gives us hope that our suffering isn’t in vain, that there’s purpose and it going to bring more character, more patience, more love, more joy, more trust, more faith.

And who among us doesn’t need that?

We all need it – it’s just going to cost us something, and that something is persecution. Still, the good news is nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. And, Paul said, we could, “delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when (we are) weak, then (we are) strong. (2Cor. 12:10)

That means when we’re down and out, God’s strength kicks in and takes over. Therefore, when we’re weak, we’re actually stronger.

Third, my rejoicing came from a perverse place –  and ya’ll will just have to pray for me, because I totally enjoyed the precise way in which my protectors took out my attackers. It was so comforting to know these people couldn’t get away with their attacks: God wouldn’t allow it, and He will not allow evil to prevail against his saints.

Though it looks like they’re prospering, they can not stand forever. God said their end is the pit. (Phillipians 3:19)

Lastly, I rejoiced in God’s protection.

In my dream I never knew when or where my protectors would appear, but they never failed me and they always took me higher. Always. And, the end result was I reached the top of the mountain. Amen, thank you, Jesus, and Hallelujah: I’m going to make it after all.

We all will: just let your attackers push you higher.

Know that I love you each - and I’ll see you at the top, L.