Mewling

Just before waking this morning, I received a reminder on the cusp of a dream that I wanted to share. In the dream, I was a white cat and I had climbed up into a tree. Like the stories some giggle over, I had somehow gotten stuck and there wasn't a fireman in sight to get me down.

Yeshua (Jesus) walked up to the tree's base and looked up with a lopsided grin. He knew I was stuck. He said, "Come down, we're having dinner at your place tonight."

My ears pricked up in great alarm. My apartment is so cluttered it's shameful to have any guests over - let alone One I love, treasure and respect so much. I tried to tell Him, that maybe we could do it some other time. Yes, I was mewling like the cat in the tree I was...

Even in the dream, I remembered the story from the bible. Zacchaeus, was a short man who so desperately wanted to see Yeshua when He passed through, that he climbed up a tree to see over everyone's heads.

Yeshua spied Zacchaeus in the tree and told the man, "Come down. We're staying at your house tonight." Of course, the crowd was surprised and shocked; Zacchaeus was a tax collector and considered a sinful man. Yet, that same man found forgiveness with a new start, simply by letting Christ into his home.

As I started to awaken from the dream, I took a half-step into another dream where I was face-to-face with Yeshua. In response to my mewling protests, He looked into my eyes, placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "How cluttered was your heart, when you invited me into it?"

As I continued to awaken fully, I was given a simple request, "Share this."

We don't need to have our living space in perfect order to allow Christ in the door. Likewise, and more importantly, we don't need our spirit/soul's in perfect order to have Him enter. In fact, that is when we need Him the most, and that is when we most wants us to accept Him into our hearts and our lives.

~ ESA

Inner Song

In days before Twitter
before 3G technology
before YouTube
before iPods
before DVD's
before cell phones
before CD's
before Bulletin Boards
before the Internet
before PC's
before satellite dishes
before VHS (and Beta)
before cordless phones
before cassette tapes
before cable TV
before pushbutton phones
before 45's and LP's
before color television
before television
before records (78's et al.)
before radio
before telephones....

In a time before all the distractions we've inundated ourselves with, there was a time when one could sit for a moment and listen to the silence. But in that silence, there was a song - a melody with a message that arose from within our hearts.

That song is still within us, but with all the constant and ever-increasing diversions with which we surround ourselves, we no longer hear it; nor do we take the time to listen.

When our world (personal or global) is in chaos, what do we do? Do we continue to turn to the conundrum and try to find one message that answers "What do I do?" Or do we finally break from the noise and listen to the song within each and everyone of us?

There are a few letters that people have passed around and posted (google "Jesus Letter"); one of my favorites is "Love Letter from Jesus" (or similar) within which is this passage:

"Do not be concerned with yourself.
You are My responsibility.
...
but not when you are trying.
I won't fight your efforts."

I find this to be very true, in my life and in the lives of others. If we listen to the song - the Word sung within our heart - He guides us. But when we are headstrong and seize control of our lives, He will not fight us but will stand by our side as we fumble, waiting for us to take the time and listen.

As adults, we learned to take control of our own lives. Very few have placed their complete trust in God and said, "OK - lead me. Where are we going?"

It's hard - very, very difficult, in fact -- but still possible.

How many of us choose to dance to the song found in our hearts instead of the one playing on the multimedia equipment we possess?

Only when things are out of control do we turn to God, when our world is chaos and we can no longer dance to the broken songs outside ourselves no matter how hard we try.

And sadly, more often than not, when we allow God to help us back to our feet, we take back control over our lives, forgetting the guidance that still sings within our hearts and dance again to the beat of another.

Take a moment -- today, tomorrow, each day -- to just pause and listen to the song within your heart. It's there day and night. What does it sing to you? Try to dance to that beat. Even if it's only a few steps, it's a start. And little steps lead to bigger ones.

I'm not saying cut yourself from the world (I'm not, obviously). But allocate some quiet time to listen within the silence to a song sung through the millennia into humanity's hearts, but is currently overwhelmed.

Be Still
Listen
Hear
.... and Dance!

- ESA