Be Thankful

I never dream! Maybe I should clarify, I never dream while I sleep. You can therefore understand my surprise when the other night I had a frighteningly vivid dream. More surprising was the fact that I actually remembered it in fairly comprehensive detail. Vivid doesn't mean understandable or sensible mind you. As always, for me, people and places are vague, nonetheless, in this instance, there are some images that will be etched into my mind for a while still.

I knew my turn was coming as I watched a woman and child gunned down in cold blood, execution style. The perpetrators appeared from nowhere, we had obviously seriously ticked someone off. As the stone cold gunman approached one colleague at a time, he'd hardly listen for an answer to the aggressive interrogation, "Who are you? Who do you work for?" before raising his pistol and pumping several bullets into each person's head. For some bizarre reason, I didn't run, perhaps in fear of being caught, perhaps because there was nowhere to run. I considered making a run for the single piston Cherokee parked less than 100m away, but knew that my chances of getting it started and in the air before having a couple of lead rounds in my chest was unlikely. All I could do was prepare to die... what were my last words going to be? I'd resolved very clearly that I would ask out aloud as a final witness and testimony, "Jesus, please forgive this man for what he is about to do!" Selfishly, perhaps there was a hope that this statement would touch some recessed sense of morality in him and soften his heart but to be honest, I do remember considering Christ's words on the cross as He gave up His last breath, "Father, forgive them as they know not what they do". Split seconds in a dream I'm sure, but it seemed like an eternity before he stood in front of me, a steel glare into my eyes... "Who are you?" I don't even recall answering, all I know is that the fateful raising of the hand didn't happen, I felt guilty, like I was the one to blame for all the bodies lying around me, like I was the one that most deserved to die, yet for some reason, as comical as it is (because it's a dream), the man turned away and quipped as he walked across a field towards another "lodge" type structure, "I'm going to miss the rugby."

So why "Be Thankful", you may ask. Anyone who has dreamed before knows what bizarre situations our sub conscious can create. I found myself towards the end of the dream, (probably before I was rudely woken by my alarm), washing dishes, just two dirty plates to my recollection, but what stood out above everything else was the dominant thought in my mind as my heart still raced in my chest, "Thank you Lord that I get to wash more than one plate", I guessed there must have been at least one other person, probably someone I loved who also survived the massacre.

Next time you find yourself complaining & irritable at having to perform menial tasks, thank the Lord for the house you must clean, the dishes to be washed, the clothes to be ironed, the food to be cooked or the car you're stuck in traffic in! Learn to be grateful for your life. Philippians 4:6 says, "With Thanksgiving, present your requests to God". Lets remember before asking for more to be thankful for what we have!

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,"
(Hebrews 12:28)