I am a morning bird!  I wake up with a song in my heart and joy overflowing.  I am eager to get going with the day and, if I am up before the sun, watching the sunrise is a special treat for me!   So, when I sleep late, there’s usually a reason connected with not feeling well.  However, on this particular morning, I believe I slept longer to receive a gift in a dream from the Lord.  In the dream, there were two books.  On the left was a typical journal type book written in typeset font.  In the book, there were a lot of names with check marks beside them.   On the right there was the most intriguing and unique journal.  It was nothing like our familiar idea of a book today, but rather more like a never ending scroll.  The scroll was transparent, so you could see the opaque names written on it in all languages and fonts, but it also overlaid a topical map of the world. 

When I awoke, I was eager to quickly get to the Bible.  I immediately jumped into the scriptures and the Lord took me to Luke 10:20, the passage the Lord was talking about to me in this dream.  Jesus is talking to the Disciples after they learned they had the power to drive out demons in the Name of Jesus.   They were both excited and overwhelmed, but what Jesus pointed out was that they were distracted by this gifting.  Rejoice, he tells them, not that the demons submit to you, but that your name is written in the Book of life!

The two books were a reminder to me of the difference between being a member of a church congregation and being a follower of Jesus Christ.  The standard image of a book represents the legalism and deception that much of the church has adopted, thinking that this is the way to earn your place in heaven.  

It was a very humbling visual that caused me to ponder my life and reflect on my actions and deeds.  Do I live rejoicing that my name is written in the heavens?  Or, do I let distractions and deceptions infiltrate my works and good deeds?   It’s a daily, moment by moment, checks and balances approach to yield to the Holy Spirit to keep me in line with living the way Christ wants me to live. 

Let my heart not be distracted, Lord, from hearing you and serving you.  May I be about Your kingdom work so that all may REJOICE that their name is written in the heavens!  Lord, this is my prayer for all!

Joyfully Healing From The Inside Out,