The Dream

The Dream

There I was, somewhere in between reality and sleep. I find myself there. At this moment, I cannot distinguish the things around me. I am disoriented, but my mind and senses are working. I can move my legs and arms, nothing is confining me or in my extended reach. I am moving, but not by the means of myself. There is a simple force pulling me further and further into the darkness.

I do not realize the time or for how long I have been moving, but something has just changed. I can feel it inside me. An eeriness washes over me and the uneasiness takes present inside me. “Where am I?” I begin to questions myself. As questions flood my mind, goosebumps begin to arise and my sense are alert and working. Then it hits me. I feel something, what is it? It is heat, I feel the heaviness of the air around me. The smoke begins to burn my throat, the air is so heavy, I can feel the pain and sorrow in this place. Then, I hear it, the sound piercing my ear. I hear their screams.

Close and closer I am being pressed forward. What is drawing me forward. There is a part of me that wants to turn back and never return this place, but another part of me is pulling me forward into the darkness. Wait. The sound is coming from below me, I am above them, the ones crying out. Though I cannot see them, I hear them. Another wave of heat hits me like an explosion. I hear the screams and gnashing of their teeth. I then cover my ears, but I cannot block out the sound of their crying.

What is this place? As soon as I ask myself this question, it hits me. Everything I have ever learned and heard about and read in the Bible floods my mind. Hell. A real burning Hell. I am here, but physically, but spiritually. I am not consumed, nor being harmed by the blackened flames. I am merely above it. “Why am I here?”

I hear something. Something so frightening, it causes my skin to curl. I hear it again. Someone is saying my name. As this one begins to continually call my name, another voice joins the other. As second progressed, more of them were crying out my name. They were crying out, “WHYYYY! Why did you not tell us, Why did you let me walk by, Why did you not share what you knew!? WHYY!”

I can barely contain myself, I knew them, seen them, talked to them, passed by them, but I never told them what I knew. Now they were in this place burning and crying out. They had no hope, no one to rescue them, not even me. I began to try and reach them and pull them out. I used all my strength from within me. Something stronger than me held me where I was. Exhausted, I relaxed above them.

Then in the distance I saw it gleaming bright. A cross. I began to weep. I never told those people who cried my name of the man who was once slain. Why was I so scare to tell them? Was it rejection, the fear of being mocked, the slam of a door, or my foolish pride? I was so stupid, if only I had another chance to share the gospel with them or others.

As I made my way toward a different light beckoning me rather quickly. Their cries were becoming fainter as I progressed away. But a new goal was building inside me. A goal to reach the one I could and tell them of a place called Hell and a place called Heaven. I would tell them how they could go there and not to the everlasting Hell. The real ever existing place I just had witnessed.

Then I awoke, covered in sweat, tears stained on my cheeks and a burning desire rekindled inside of me To care. To Dare. To Share.