I recently found a dream I had written down years ago; it has a timeless message.
In the dream, I was taken “up on wings” with the Lord and His hosts. They had invited me to go with them to scout out enemy territory. But it wasn’t where we were going that had my attention. It was Him.
In the dream, I could actually feel the wind on my face and the density of the fog we were cutting through. I could feel the power of the angelic beings accompanying us. I knew I was in a realm far above anything natural. But though I was amazed by all I was experiencing, I wasn’t thinking about where we were going. I was fixated on the Lord.
How Can We Know Him?
His presence was overwhelming. And He wasn’t towering over me or even giving direction to His company. He was crouched down beside me – looking into my eyes. All I could do was look at Him. I felt immense peace and profound joy, and all I wanted in that moment was to know Him more. I felt as if I was getting but a taste of who He really was and realities that only He could reveal. As I was experiencing this with a growing sense of adventure and possibility, I began to think of how many others like myself desired to know Him in deeper measure.
I finally got the courage to ask Him, “How can people know You? Find You?” I then mention the familiar disciplines of prayer and fasting, thinking He may confirm these acts of surrender and sacrifice.
I’ll never forget His response. He chuckled and quickly replied, “Well, probably not THAT way!”
It wasn’t a rebuke, but an invitation to something much deeper. The big smile on His face said more than words. He wasn’t looking for our works, our sacrifices, or our self-effort. More than anything else, He wants our hearts. Our desires. He longs to simply fellowship with us. He wants us to seek Him out of longing and delight, not obligation or ritual.
Longing for the One
As I was taking this in, there was a pause in everything I was processing, and I had a brief vision of electronic devices. I saw people preoccupied with their devices, trying to connect. Looking for faces, relationship, and meaningful connections. But compared to everything I was experiencing, I knew this was but a distraction and hindrance. The fellowship HE was offering would certainly not be found there.
In that moment, I simply wanted more of this journey in His presence, free of distractions. I knew He was letting me know that He was aware of our weaknesses and was inviting us to bypass the lesser roads for the higher one. The last thing He shared was His promise to pursue us no matter what. He knows that His longing to be with us is actually stronger than our pursuit of Him. And because of His covenant love, He will do everything He can so that we can find Him.
I hope this encourages you. It reminded me that our destination is not nearly as important as we think. There is One who longs to be with us and will change our hearts towards desire and delight if we but turn His way. Untold adventure awaits those who lay aside every weight and distraction, and simply determine to seek Him above all else.
It is not the completion of our journey that is the reward. It’s Him.
I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be My people and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart. (Jeremiah 24:7 ESV)
Wanda Alger is an ordained and commissioned fivefold leader who has been in ministry for more than 35 years and is passionate about interpreting life from Heaven’s perspective. She is called to speak to the Body of Christ about the mountain of government, godly leadership, and Kingdom authority. Her blogs, videos, books, and other resources are available at wandaalger.me.
