It eludes me as to where I read or heard this, but I'm going to do my best to paraphrase this story that I thought was provocative and a reminder of how much God really loves us. Here it is:
There was an addict who was a believer that had a dream one night.
In the dream he murdered his child. He awoke from the dream loathing himself, disbelieving he could ever think to hurt his child.
The addict was not a violent person, he'd never even hit a person his entire life. The addict loved his child intensely; there's no way he would ever lay a finger on his child. Why would he have such a horrible dream?
Another week went by before he had a dream much like the last; murdering his child. Again, the same feelings came over him. Why? Why?
Finally, a third dream plagued his night. He asked God what the meaning of this was.
In an instant, he understood. He was his child and he was the murderer - a dual role. With his addiction, he was killing himself, a murderer; ripping his own soul to shreds. He was the child, too, a believer in Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection - born again.
In an instant he realized how much God loved him. His addiction was preying on his faith like a murderer of an innocent. The pain of seeing the dream was a sample of the pain God was feeling watching His own son destroy himself.
There was an addict who was a believer that had a dream one night.
In the dream he murdered his child. He awoke from the dream loathing himself, disbelieving he could ever think to hurt his child.
The addict was not a violent person, he'd never even hit a person his entire life. The addict loved his child intensely; there's no way he would ever lay a finger on his child. Why would he have such a horrible dream?
Another week went by before he had a dream much like the last; murdering his child. Again, the same feelings came over him. Why? Why?
Finally, a third dream plagued his night. He asked God what the meaning of this was.
In an instant, he understood. He was his child and he was the murderer - a dual role. With his addiction, he was killing himself, a murderer; ripping his own soul to shreds. He was the child, too, a believer in Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection - born again.
In an instant he realized how much God loved him. His addiction was preying on his faith like a murderer of an innocent. The pain of seeing the dream was a sample of the pain God was feeling watching His own son destroy himself.
