Dreaming Dreams

I’ve had two dreams this week both involving train travel. Last night’s dream was especially vivid and more easily remembered than most. I normally don’t even recall that I have had a dream. I know dreams are my subconscious at work but can’t help but think that the Holy Spirit didn’t have some influence in this case.

When I have traveling dreams it is usually about air travel since that is the mass transit I have done the most by a wide margin. So train travel to me has something of a mystical quality to it. Dreams often involve symbolism and it seems likely that, at least for me, train travel represents the Rapture of the Church. Especially when I consider some of the details in last night’s dream.

In last night’s dream, I found myself in a large building without windows and was participating in some sort of non-descript tour. As I discussed with some of my fellow travelers the prospect of meeting the train for the next phase of our journey it became clear that no one knew when the train would arrive. One of my fellow non-descript travelers said we didn’t need to worry about catching the next train because there’d be others and we are coming back to our present location anyway.

Another traveler told me not to be concerned about catching the train and pointed to colorful markings on the floor saying the train would have to come in the building and we could catch it then. Well while the markings might have described a path for some vehicle, there was no train tracks associated with them. And even if the train did follow the path defined by the markings, there was nothing to indicate that it would stop for us in the building. So I decided I needed to leave the building to be in a position to watch for the train.

As soon as I stepped out on the porch of the building I heard the train whistle and realized that I just had time to make if to the train station. I had left something in the building but knew I’d miss the train if I went back for it so I decided it was of no consequence as I made my way to the train station. Then the alarm went off and I woke up.

Joel 2:28 says, “it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (NKJ). I’m certainly in the “old men” category and wouldn’t be surprised if my two train dreams this week was the Holy Spirit reinforcing the need to be ready… “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (Matthew 25:13).

Revelation 4:1 says, “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here…’” I think it likely that when the Rapture occurs, there may be a split second decision some or all of us will need to make. All who truly love the Lord and are ready for His coming for us will be taken in the Rapture. Remember Lot’s wife… “his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26).

Here are some other passages that reinforce the danger in looking back when Jesus comes for us…

“And Jesus said unto him, no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended. but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” (Philippians 3:13 ).

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

“Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38).

“But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:39).

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

Indications are that we do not have long to wait for the Rapture. So it would behoove us to, “watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36). Now is not a time to neglect prayer.