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Dare to believe...



Take a moment. 


Imagine… what if everything you knew— everything you’ve been taught and told to believe— all that you love and all that you trust— What if it all turned out to be a carefully fabricated lie?  What would you do?  


Would you allow doubt to replace trust? 

Fear to overshadow love? 

Anger to build into hate?

OR

Would you find your voice,

dig your roots…

cry out to heaven,

and finally become the person you were always meant to be? 


I wonder…


This world is teetering on the cusp of a great transformation— of thought and reason, and ultimately, belief.  Technology and modern-day advancements have brought us here— shown us the highest levels of which mankind is able— feats our ancestors could not possibly have imagined.  But what if, within that ever-reaching advancement, something was lost?  Would we know it?  Can’t you feel it? 


And truly, if a voice from within were to call out, begging you to Return, what might you say in response?  



“ In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men while slumbering on their beds…”

14 For God may speak in one way or another,

Yet man does not perceive it.

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,

When deep sleep falls upon men,

While slumbering on their beds,

16 Then He opens the ears of men,

and seals their instruction.

17 In order to turn man from his deed,

and conceal pride from man,

18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit,

And his life from perishing by the sword.


Job 33:14-18

NKJV


It is both a scientific and spiritual truth that, at some point or another, we ALL fall asleep.  There is, however, an underlying distinction that separates one from the other, and that distinction is often determined by our individual choices.  In regard to scripture, we see this illustrated in the telling of the ten virgins recorded in Matthew 25.  And indeed, 5 they all slumbered and slept.  Now, perhaps you’re familiar with this parable and have already deciphered its meaning.  Or perhaps you are new to this tale.  Regardless, let’s see if we can’t dig a little deeper and consider it with fresh eyes.   


We have ten virgins.  Five foolish and five wise.  Here, we can see a division of two equal halves.  And, if you are someone like myself who happens to believe that the Old and New Testaments walk hand-in-hand, then you might hear the echo of another time when pieces were cut and divided— you might hear the call of Abram, and the covenant established in Genesis 15.  Just like all ten virgins, Abram too, fell asleep.

Here is what matters: when Abram fell asleep, the battle was already won.

See, Abram fully believed the word of the Lord in verse six— he deemed it trustworthy and true.  And because Abram believed, he hid that promise inside his heart as a great treasure.  Even when the vultures came, trying to steal and pick apart the Lord’s instructions, Abram fought in such a way that he might see the fulfillment of God’s promise.  Even as the sun was fading, and it was no doubt getting harder for Abram to see, he did not run away nor depart.  Rather, Abram continued to wait on the Lord.  Did he entertain doubt?  Wonder if God had forsaken him?  We may never truly know… One thing that scripture does tell us, however, is that Abram eventually falls asleep.


I think, perhaps, it was inevitable.


After all, the story of God’s covenant first established with Abram in Genesis 15 is reminiscent of another story in the Bible.  We find that story in Matthew 13, hidden within the parable of the wheat and the tares. 25 While men slept… their enemy encroached.  It seems unavoidable then— sleep and slumber.  Even Jesus’s own trusted disciples fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane.  And they weren’t the first ones either… Adam fell asleep in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:21) much in the same way and language as Abram after him.  Deeply…


We are, after all, only human— dust of the earth.  Left to ourselves, we all fall short.


12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.

Now, this may be an assumption on my part, but even though darkness had descended, I truly believe that Abram was not afraid.  I believe Abram fully trusted the Lord.  I believe Abram was still clinging to the word given in Genesis 15:1— when the Lord said to Abram, “Do not be afraid.  I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”


Abram was not alone.


17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.

You see, when Abram fell asleep, that is when the Lord stepped onto the scene.  This, after all, is covenant— an agreement, between two parties, that one is not alone.  You are not alone…


Covenant, after all, is truly a two-sided affair.  Merriam-Webster defines a covenant such as this: a written agreement or promise, usually under seal, between two or more parties, especially for the performance of some action.


Only, Genesis 15:17 is not speaking of some intangible illusion— some delusion or hallucination on Abram’s part.  Rather, it foretells of salvation.  That is Yeshuah in Hebrew.  It speaks of a visible savior, or messiah.  You may know this word by a different name, or language… you may know it as Jesus.  We see this depiction of Him more clearly illustrated in Revelation Chapter 1, verses 14 and 15.  With eyes of fire and feet of brass… that burning torch, the light of creation.  He who was laid upon the brazen altar to seal His side of the covenant in blood.  He who is described as one whose countenance is as the sun shining in its strength.  He is our defender.  And it is He who steps onto the scene whenever our own strength should fail— when the vultures and darkness encroach, trying to steal and to pick apart the promise.


Abram was not afraid. 


Yes, Abram beheld great darkness, but he also witnessed something far greater— Truly, I believe Abram witnessed the lamb that was slain from the very foundation of the earth.   


So what is the difference, you may wonder?


Abram believed and he was counted righteous.  Yet Abram believed not in himself, he believed in another…

Adam, on the other hand, was afraid.  He knew that he was naked— vulnerable and without defense.  Alone.  Awaiting judgment— which he seemed to have decided for himself.  It wasn’t good.  Why else hide?


Both men fell asleep, such as we humans do… perhaps, even more than we care to admit.  So why was one given a great reward, and the other banished from God’s presence in the garden?


It may seem too simple to be true, but Abram dared to believe…  Abram waited on the Lord, and took shelter underneath His wings.  Abram must have known that he’d fallen asleep, yet he still drew near.  Why?  Simply because God had told Abram not to be afraid?  No. Because Abram wasn’t counting on himself.  Abram was trusting in the Lord.  And trust is faith.  Standing in stark comparison, when the Lord entered the scene in Eden, Adam ran and hid…

So at midnight, when ALL were asleep, and the cry was heard, the foolish said to the wise, in Matthew 25, 8 Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.  9 But the wise answered, saying No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.  10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came… 


The foolish thought themselves without— naked and in need.  And while they did not run away to hide, they did go away and depart.  Whereas the wise, they stood their ground, unafraid, and waiting…


The lesson, I hope, you take from this is not that five had and five were without.  Indeed, God sent His son, Yeshua, for ALL mankind as a covering for their transgressions.  The lesson, rather, is that the foolish believed their salvation could be bought.  Salvation is a person, not an item.  And the truth is rather simple.  You don’t have to go anywhere to believe…


You can do it right where you are, right now, in this moment.  Today.  You can inherit the promise of Abram.  The very same promise that turned faithful Abram into Abraham— a friend of God.


You, too, can dare to believe…



A truth so often overlooked is that the very thing Adam was seeking prior to his sleep, and the very thing Abram was inquiring diligently of the Lord, it was with them both— all along.  A mate to carry out the promise and purpose of the Lord.  A Bridegroom and His Bride.

With so many choices in our world and everyday lives— what to wear, where to eat, what to watch, and what to drink— I pray you choose to believe that God is good.  That He is for you and not against you.  So when that call does go out, you would not feel naked and afraid, but draw near as a child to their parent, and as a friend to their companion  In times of trouble, I pray you trust in Him.  When you do, you too can lie down and rest, completely, underneath the shelter of His wings.  He is our shield. He is our defender.  And His hand of friendship is reaching out…



You can’t do it alone.  No one can.

Luke 12:21




So, will you take that leap?  The leap of Faith?  Will you join the ultimate adventure?



My prayer for you is that you'll not let the lies of the enemy distract you from the Goodness and unfailing Love of God. Mistakes are inevitable. Perception is a choice... and it's the choice we all must make.




Shalom Aleichem,

May ADONAI bless you and keep you, now and forever.



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