http://sbcvoices.com/jesus-wasnt-home-in-time-for-dinner/ Southern Baptist News & Opinion Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:19:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://sbcvoices.com/jesus-wasnt-home-in-time-for-dinner/#comment-7324 Dr. James Willingham Mon, 21 Dec 2009 01:41:45 +0000 http://sbcvoices.com/?p=2049#comment-7324 Faith and dreams - Ah! There's the rub. Faith, true saving faith is a gift from God, a divine power that is absolutely required. Still we have dreams. Sometimes God lets us see the future, a little bit of the future, that is. I remember a dream from over quarter of a century ago. Jesus was in clouds in Green and robes walk above the court house circle of Pittsboro, NC. He was going North/ Northeast, and there was a clock on the ground of a parking lot where 15/501 comes up to the circle (there is a building on that lot now). The clock show white from 12-10:00 and dark from 10-12:00. I took that to mean that I would be leaving my church in two years, and in two years, if memory serves correctly, tht happened, but I did not go North/Northeast though I tried. Instead I went Southeast, a long way for six months. Then came back to South of Pittsboro about 1-2 hrs where I served a church for 12.5 years. Fired, I wound up west of Pittsboro (abot 2 `1/2 hrs) for seven years. Then I wound up Northeast of Pittsboro where I have been ever since. What God is doing, I have not the slightest clue as to what the Lord is doing. I have often cried to Him to learn what He wants me to learn from this experience of providence, but so far nothing. I do pray, everyday, for a Third Great Awakening, and things have grown steadily worse for us and for the world...with only some momentary interventions of goodness. Some times I think it is sort of like Joseph being laid in irons (one translation possiblity suggest that the iron entered into his soul)(Ps.105). The time involved has been about that which Jospeh endured, 12-13 years (??). God is about some strange things these days. The Puritans were of the view that some of His providences we would not understand until we are on the other side. One intellectual historian whose materials I read over 30 years ago declared that the Puritans were the most steadfast and enduring people in the face of disaster and long, hard trials. They were the sort of people one wants on his side during a time of great difficulties. They hang in there until, if the saying ma be permitted, "until Hell freezes over." I am not one who believes in using that term lightly or loosely, yet it does express horrendous troubles. There are such troubles in this world (Paul spoke of wrath to the uttermost coming upon some in this world. While that does not necessarily mean God's people, they do sometimes experience horrendous troubles, too. The worst of all trials was endured by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Garden and on Calvary. He shows us love triumphing over the utmost extremity, and it is His triumph that says one day we shall see the victory even in what looks like certain defeat. The Father never wasted one drop of His only begotten Son's blood, and He does not waste one iota of His adopted children's miseries. They all serve the Divine purpose. We might not, nay, cannot see it today, but we will - someday. All praise to the Lamb that was slain. Faith and dreams – Ah! There’s the rub. Faith, true saving faith is a gift from God, a divine power that is absolutely required. Still we have dreams. Sometimes God lets us see the future, a little bit of the future, that is. I remember a dream from over quarter of a century ago. Jesus was in clouds in Green and robes walk above the court house circle of Pittsboro, NC. He was going North/ Northeast, and there was a clock on the ground of a parking lot where 15/501 comes up to the circle (there is a building on that lot now). The clock show white from 12-10:00 and dark from 10-12:00. I took that to mean that I would be leaving my church in two years, and in two years, if memory serves correctly, tht happened, but I did not go North/Northeast though I tried. Instead I went Southeast, a long way for six months. Then came back to South of Pittsboro about 1-2 hrs where I served a church for 12.5 years. Fired, I wound up west of Pittsboro (abot 2 `1/2 hrs) for seven years. Then I wound up Northeast of Pittsboro where I have been ever since. What God is doing, I have not the slightest clue as to what the Lord is doing. I have often cried to Him to learn what He wants me to learn from this experience of providence, but so far nothing. I do pray, everyday, for a Third Great Awakening, and things have grown steadily worse for us and for the world…with only some momentary interventions of goodness. Some times I think it is sort of like Joseph being laid in irons (one translation possiblity suggest that the iron entered into his soul)(Ps.105). The time involved has been about that which Jospeh endured, 12-13 years (??). God is about some strange things these days. The Puritans were of the view that some of His providences we would not understand until we are on the other side. One intellectual historian whose materials I read over 30 years ago declared that the Puritans were the most steadfast and enduring people in the face of disaster and long, hard trials. They were the sort of people one wants on his side during a time of great difficulties. They hang in there until, if the saying ma be permitted, “until Hell freezes over.” I am not one who believes in using that term lightly or loosely, yet it does express horrendous troubles. There are such troubles in this world (Paul spoke of wrath to the uttermost coming upon some in this world. While that does not necessarily mean God’s people, they do sometimes experience horrendous troubles, too. The worst of all trials was endured by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Garden and on Calvary. He shows us love triumphing over the utmost extremity, and it is His triumph that says one day we shall see the victory even in what looks like certain defeat. The Father never wasted one drop of His only begotten Son’s blood, and He does not waste one iota of His adopted children’s miseries. They all serve the Divine purpose. We might not, nay, cannot see it today, but we will – someday. All praise to the Lamb that was slain.

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