As I was studying for my ordination, I came across the true story of the late prophet Bob Jones. He died and went to heaven. The Lord said to him, “Bob, did you learn to love?” Bob realized he had not. The Lord sent him back to earth and he spent his latter years learning to love.
The moment I read that story, conviction fell. I had not learned to love very well. I repented, wept, and asked the Lord to teach me what it means to love.
That very night I had a dream:
I was in a large building walking down a corridor when I saw someone I recognized from many years ago. I looked at her and when we made eye contact she immediately put her head down and continued to walk past me. Usually when this happens in life, I just continue walking, thinking the person must not recognize me, content to not step out of my comfort zone and move on with my day. However, in the dream, I stopped, called out her name and said,”How are you? Remember me? It’s Mrs. Bilek!” We had a great chat and she took me over to see her family in another part of the building.
[When I woke up I heard the Lord say, “Stopping for the one is learning to love.”]
Next scene in the dream: My family was visiting with the family of the person I stopped to talk to in the prior scene. We were having a great time visiting with our old friends. It was my son’s birthday and the dad of the woman I stopped to talk to said, “What more can we do to celebrate his birthday? Have we done enough? Let’s do something more!” I realized that this family was really good at celebrating people. They really wanted to make sure that my son was recognized and celebrated!
[When I woke up I heard the Lord say, “Celebrating people well is learning to love.”]
Next scene in the dream: I was walking with another friend down another large corridor toward some double glass doors. She was carrying a large craft project that she had made. I was taking no interest in her art as I am not an artist, nor do I particularly like crafting. I was actually thinking in my mind, “What a waste of time”. The Lord stopped me in my tracks and told me to take interest because He is the author of creativity. I opened the double glass doors and we walked outside. I asked her to show me her project. She took the large project and rolled it out on the ground. I was amazed at the creativity. It was a huge canvas featuring beautiful nature scenes with real grass, leaves, and flowers.
[When I woke up I heard the Lord say, “I am the author of creativity. Appreciating other’s giftings, though different from yours, is learning to love.”]
Next scene: Suddenly a man walked up off of the beach and began stomping and trampling his feet all over my friend’s beautiful art. I was furious! He then went and sat down in a corner of the building on the ground. I went right over to him with every intention of punching and kicking him. I was so angry at what he had done to my friend’s masterpiece! Instead, I opened my mouth and much to my amazement, I said, “God loves you SO much!” I then began prophesying over him. He looked at me in shock and said, “How did you know that?” I told him that I listen to God and God speaks to me. He began walking with me and asked me to tell him more. I pointed to the sky and said, “The heavens display the splendor of the Lord.” As we looked up at the clouds they were not normal white clouds. I could see actual images and paintings full of color in the sky. It was amazing and vibrant! Then I said, “listen”. Crickets were chirping. I said to the man, “All of creation sings of his glory.” Then I pointed to the tall trees swaying in the wind and said, “All of nature worships God.” The man stood there in awe. I said, “All of creation worships the creator.”
[When I woke up I heard the Lord say, “Loving your enemies points them to me.”]
WOW! God is so faithful. When we ask, He answers. I went to bed asking Him to teach me what it means to love and He gave me a dream that had so many lessons of love in it. I am excited to be on this continual journey of learning to love.
“I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.” Psalm 16:7
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16