Lady in Red

“The real problem is not why some pious, humble, believing people suffer, but why some do not.”       

C. S. Lewis.

Answering God’s call into ministry is thrilling, if not scary.  When I first was told by the Lord what my gift was, I was happy.  Time progressed and I grew in the gift of prophecy with a chaser of the Fruit of the Spirit!  After a couple of years, the Lord started preparing me for a future calling that would challenge me like nothing else in my life.

There are times when I feel like God is not loving due to this work I have been assigned; yet my guiding light is and always has been His Word.  There I find those I commensurate with knowing that the Lord has told us we will suffer in one form or another for His name.  This recent dream, whether from God or not, speaks of my continuous uneasiness with my calling.   

I have desperately wanted to accept my hard ministry with joy and wisdom, it used to be that way in my formative years.  But I seem to have grown in the ministry of suffering minus the joy.  This dream is telling.

Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which You have broken may rejoice.  Psalm 51:8.

The evening of the dream in my prayer time, I was thinking that a little wine would soothe me!  I immediately received a scripture address: Song of Solomon 1:4 We will be glad and rejoice in YOU. We will remember Your love more than wine.  Huh, that was clear!

Next came a short dream which had me sitting dressed in red.  My clothing was like a continuous swath of crimson; top, pants, socks and shoes.  I was waiting for an interview with Someone important.  That was it, short and poignant. 

There was a song lyric I awoke to: “This cup is the blood of My Covenant poured out for you.”  I recognized it as a Fernando Ortega classic. Fernando Ortega, "In My Father's Kingdom" (Lyric Video) - YouTube.

Well, the color red is the focal point of the dream, as well as the ‘waiting’.  So, let’s look at what I think this means, I bet you already know!  Red is symbolic of strong passion or emotion, blood (the sacrifice of Christ) also, anger.  But I wasn’t angry in this dream, only waiting.  Remembering the emotions in your dreams is very important to the interpretation.

The waiting is indicative of how I am awaiting the promises He has made to me for physical healing, restoration and revival.  Also, the interview is similar to when Job questioned God, stating his case as in Job 7:11-21.  

I believe this dream portrays my feelings that I am sacrificing for God; but with further scripture I received a different message.  Almost like a slap in the face, when one wants to say, ‘Snap out of it!’

I was given: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You, will not despise.  Psalm 51:16-17. 

Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his Master; nor is he who is sent greater than He who sent him.  John 13:16.

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.  Psalm 34:18-19. 

Apparently, I was ‘wining’ (no pun intended) about my affliction and the Lord is saying, my condition is part of being in the Kingdom.  But more importantly, miniscule compared to His sacrifice for us.  Our pain reminds us that this world is not our home however, I just don’t want to be reminded constantly of it in my body. 

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.  1 Peter 4:1.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  James 1:2-3.

I was telling the Lord the other night I feel like I have become an expert in suffering and waiting.  To sum it all up, if He suffered, we will suffer and we are to count it all joy.  I’m still working on that part! 

“Jesus has many who love the kingdom of God, but few who bear a cross. He has many who desire His comfort, but few who desire His suffering. All want to rejoice with Him, but few are willing to suffer for Him. He writes, there are many who admire His miracles, but there are few who follow in the humiliation of the cross.” — Thomas A Kempis.