(Edited by sister Cheryl Lowe.)
This morning I had a short vision or dream- I can hardly tell which. I was half asleep, half awake.
I saw a chamber of some kind, like a secluded room in a house. There was hardly any light. But I could still discern the outline of a death bed in the middle, upon which was a beautiful young woman about 20 years old. Her body was covered under a sheet, but not her face. Looking at it, one can easily detect the vitality and beauty of a young life, which now sadly was no more. My heart sunk, sorry for the loss of a wonderful life. Then I noticed that there was a young man standing or kneeling beside her, at the opposite side of the room from my point of observation. He looked very sober, and yet somehow also very determined. Then I realized that he was the young girl’s fiancé. But I was a bit puzzled by his presence here. Even without much knowledge of their custom, somehow I knew that it was very unusual and unconventional for the young man to be here under such a circumstance. As if to address my curiosity, suddenly I was given some revelation of the situation.
The family was more like a Jewish family during Jesus’ time, judging from their dresses and their ways of life. It seemed that the young woman had been betrothed to the young man for quite some time. As the only child, she was loved dearly by her godly parents, relatives, and friends. Her death had brought such grievance that all of them were very much heart-broken.
Learned about her death, the young man rushed to the family. Seeing the distress all around, his heart was full of compassion. He determined to ask the parents to allow him to do something. Finally, the parents, in honoring his deep affection towards their daughter, felt compelled to allow him to spend some alone time with her, even though it was considered improper according to their tradition. With all the family and friends waiting outside, the young man went into the death chamber. Standing beside the body of his beloved, he buried his head in prayer. This is when I entered the vision as an observer.
Seeing the young man deep in prayer, I could almost feel the burden in his heart, as well as his faith. How he loved the young woman! How he knew that she should not have to die like this! Then suddenly a revelation came to him, as well as to me-I guess, which enabled me to understand a bit of what he was about to do. The revelation was that the only way to revive this young woman was let her drink, or her face be covered by, the blood from his heart.
Without any hesitation, the young man jumped on the bed and covered his body over her. Then he produced a short sword and quickly cut his heart open. My vision began to zoom in. I could see clearly the big cut upon his heart. I instantly knew that it is the same kind of wound that was opened on the side of Jesus when he was on the cross. Now blood began to gush out. Before it dropped, the young man quickly pulled his heart up to the face of the young woman and directed the flow toward her mouth.
At that very moment, I woke up.
Still puzzled, I asked the Lord the purpose of this very uneasy vision. The Father quickly brought me to the story of the wound that the Roman Solider inflicted upon Christ. He told me that the young woman was no other than the Bride of Jesus Christ, the virgin daughter of Zion. I thought to myself, then the young man must be Jesus Himself, but Jesus should not be that young. The Father then assured me, in Spirit, he was exactly at the age for marriage, and so was the young woman.
My thought was also quickly drawn to the story of Isaac being sacrificed by his father Abraham. Again I was puzzled, not knowing the relevance here. Then, the Father continued to speak to me:
“Yes, it was on the Cross that my Son showed His love for His beloved by laying down his own life for her. But this young man is not only Jesus himself, he is also the one that I want you to be. You have known my love as your Father, and I know you would lay down your life for me if I so commanded it. But would you translate your love unto me into the love of my Son for His Bride? ”
I was unsure. “But Father, I have no loved one in my real life as a man. How am I to practice this love of profound and pure affection towards a woman?”
“You are to lay down your life for my Church, just as My Son had laid down his life for her.”
“Father, I am not sure that my heart is that pure and is truly filled with such a love. I would not dare to think my life is worthy of such a beautiful bride, not to mention my blood to be that effective as to revive one like her from death.”
“With yourself, it is impossible. But with me, it will be done, as long as you are willing.”
“Yes, Father, I am willing. You know I want to do anything You ask of me. ”
“Then learn first to lay down your life for your brothers, those I have given to you. This is how you are to learn the Love of my Son for His Bride. ”
I began to reflect on my past failures in loving others and my lack of true devotion in loving His people as His beloved, like Jesus would and will. It seemed so far-fetching for me, a sinful and often wayward man, to be able to have that kind of love for God’s people, which the Lord Jesus Christ so perfectly embodied and expressed during His earthly ministry. His love is full of purity, devotion and affection, even ready to sacrifice His Own life in order that others can live. A sense of despair set squarely in my heart, with the keen awareness that I did not yet have in myself what it takes to become what the Father desired of me.
“With man it is impossible, but with Me it is more than possible! It is done!”
Again, the Father assured me. I realized that this somehow has to do with the kind of discipleship He wants to restore back to His people, of which I am to devote my life to.
Yes, Father, continue to sanctify me and perfect me in Your love, so that I can become the kind of broken bread and poured out wine at your table of life and goodness. In Jesus’ lovely and glorious name, I pray, for myself, and for those whom You would raise up to do Your will.
