Another One of Those Dreams...

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit," 1 Peter 3:8

Every once in a while I just have some of the most vivid dreams. I've posted on them once or twice before. It's amazing how sometimes they really stick with you. Last night's dream wasn't a good one, that much is certain. I was dreaming that we were in the process of moving to a new house when some crooks decided to take the opportunity to rob us. Andy was gone, and it was just me at home with the kids, and the kids were in bed. These three people just walked into the house where I was packing boxes and started going through stuff and looking for what they wanted. The "leader" made me sit down in a chair, pointing a gun at me, and threatening the sleeping babes down the hall if I didn't cooperate. And then I started talking about Jesus, and how if it was time for me to go, I prayed that my children would be safe, and I started talking to this guy about how wonderful like with God was. Then he stuck his gun into my side and told me to zip it. Then I woke up with a horrible stitch in my side.

It took me a minute to orient myself that I was in bed, and that I'd been dreaming. I had to get up and use the bathroom, but when I got back to bed, I found myself struggling to fall back asleep-that dream was just so vivid! I found myself wondering if I'd really do that. Would I really be able to compose myself and start witnessing and praising God in a time of crisis like that. I think that's what kept me up more than anything. The verse above in 1 Peter is very appropriate for my mind frame this morning. Would I be able to do that? Christ died so that I may spend eternity in Heaven. He also died, so that a crook could also spend eternity in Heaven, if they just give up their evil ways and surrender to him. And faced with that kind of situation, it would be my body being put to death, but not my spirit.

Really, just something to think on today. So many times, we as Christians hold in our faith at the risk of offending someone, but in a situation where it truly mattered, would we be able to rise to the occasion? And ultimately what would come of it? Think about how wonderful it would be to see the aggressor choose a life with God. I think that would be worth the risk involved in the first place. If Christ died for me, is it not the least I could do to face that situation with Him at the forefront of my thoughts?