The warmer weather is arriving little by little and is happening more on a regular basis now. But I have been feeling rather melancholy even though Spring is just around the corner. Not too excited about life, maybe I need to take a trip. Get out of the house and change up the scenery. Easter is rapidly approaching and will arrive tomorrow. I am just not in the mood to get up early for the Sunday Easter service in the morning. You know, go to church and try and stay awake just to make my presence known. Not even the Easter candy is cheering me up. About the church thing, I know the whole story about Jesus. Yet, He seems a thousand miles away. I am not sure what I believe but hey, if going to church can put me in the good graces of the Almighty then I should probably do the deed.
So, I went to bed early as I was exhausted. I slept like a rock, but I had this strange dream. It goes like this:
I was walking barefoot heading to my Easter church service early Sunday morning. When I arrived at the church’s front door, I peeked inside the large auditorium. Only a single wooden chair placed in the middle of the room was visible. Not all the lights were on but then I noticed on the floor were all these photographs. Pictures of people I knew, places I have been and places I wanted to go. A thought was placed into my mind. It went like this: “Place the photograph of what matters most to you on the seat of the empty chair. Prop the photograph up so it can be positioned in a way so you can see it.” Well, it took me awhile to peruse through the pictures, so I picked one up that looked really cool. An ocean resort that had a sandy beach and an ocean view right outside of the bungalow. I have always wanted to go to a place like that but as I placed that picture on the empty chair. The glamour of it all kind of faded away.
So, I hunted around for the next picture. It had more meaning. It was a picture of my closest friends. Surely, this is a worthy picture to be displayed upon the empty chair. Yet when I displayed this picture on the chair, I was left wanting. These people were really good friends, but I still felt a longing for something more like my soul was aching for some higher purpose. Can God fill this void? Dumbfounded, I continued my search for another picture. Oh look, there’s a picture of my parents! Surely, it can’t get any better than that. I placed the picture of my parents on the chair, and then I remembered the good times we had, and also I remembered the unrealistic expectations placed on me when I was growing up. Feeling a little sad, I removed my parent’s picture from the empty chair. Another thought prodded my mind, “It said dig a little deeper.” And so I did. I was scouring the floor through all these pictures. And bingo, I found it. It was a picture of a little white church. Finally, I thought, “This has to be it!” I proudly placed the picture of the church on the empty chair. But then, I realized it was the picture of the church I currently entered, and it was empty. Just a solitary chair placed in a large, empty auditorium. Dead — there is absolutely no life in this church. I started to weep and I cried out, “What’s the point of this exercise?”
When I was at the end my rope, Jesus arrives stage right, and asks, “May I have this seat?” (Don’t ask me how I knew it was Jesus, I just did. It’s my dream!) And graciously, I said, “Please do.” Jesus asked, “There sure is a lot of pictures on this floor!” I responded, “Yes, and I have earnestly tried putting the appropriate picture on the empty chair, but every picture I place upon the chair doesn’t belong there. Will you help me?” Jesus said, “Of course. That’s exactly why I came here, but first, I see you are barefooted. I have a basin and a towel to wash your feet.” As Jesus left the empty chair, He bent down and washed my feet and I was clean. Not just my feet, but my entire soul was brought to life as if I could see and hear things clearer than ever before in my lifetime. Then He put His arm around me and said, “You know, I’m kind of fond of you. You have had a wonderful life — full of great memories and experiences. There are so many people in your life who care for you and your wellbeing. But none of those memories or experiences can redeem your soul. What you need is a Word. A Word that can change the direction of your thoughts and guide you along a journey with Me. What do you say? Let’s go find a church that speaks the Word, full of grace and truth.”
When I awoke, my whole perspective on Easter had changed, not just about the Easter holiday, but about my whole thought process towards God. Like He just wants to hang out with me and He desires that I would want to hangout with Him. When all is said and done, there is no higher purpose than that in this vast universe.
It sure beats staring at an empty chair.
Is God wondering, “Why are you so far away?” Does the song below from Dire Straits titled, “So far away,” resonate with you? Scripture states, “If you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you.” That’s a promise from the One True God, who never reneges on His promises. Take Him up on His Word. It’s what Easter is all about!
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Discussions to make God known 