“What Does It Mean?”

Copyright © 2016 by Michelle Lores

 

 

“What Does It Mean?”

~Michelle Lores 2016~

 

A little child stood lost and alone

With no home to call his own.

He had no father.  He had no mother.  He did not have a family.

But one night came and changed everything.

It was the night he took a journey.

 

He never knew if he was asleep or awake—

He only knew what he saw.

And in the morning he just had to take

His questions to one who would tell him the truth no matter what.

 

So he went to the church and knocked on the door—

And who there did he see?

An older man with very kind eyes who said,

“Yes?  Were you looking for me?”

 

Jakob, the little lost boy,

So ragged and all alone

Said, “Yes, mister, if you please,

You see, I don’t have a home,

 

“No mom, no dad to talk to or ask

What things mean,

So I’m coming to you to see if you can tell me

The meaning of my dream.”

 

Well, the older man’s white eyebrows went up

At the mention of a dream,

But his eyes remained kind,

For he was not mean.

 

“I tell you what,” Pastor Jim said.

“I will listen, and if I know the answer,

I will tell you right away.

Then we can get to know each other better.”

 

After Jakob had agreed,

He began to tell his dream.

He told everything he saw—

And all that he had seen.

 

“First I saw an empty manger

On a starry night—

And I wondered:

‘What does it mean?’

 

Next, I saw an empty cross

And a dark sky—

And I wondered:

‘What does it mean?’

 

Then I saw an empty tomb

With a stone rolled away—

And I wondered:

‘What does it mean?’

 

“Then I saw a blue sky

With white clouds and eleven men looking up at it—

And I wondered:

‘What does it mean?’

 

“And I saw a white dove

And flames of fire floating above men and women’s heads—

And I wondered:

‘What does this mean?’

 

“And then I saw a lot of green—

Green grass and green trees—

And I wondered yet again:

‘What does this mean?’

 

“And last of all, I saw

A church full of people—

And I wondered:

‘What does it mean?’

 

“Mister,” Jakob said,

“Your church was in my dream.

Can you tell me—

O please can you tell me what it all means?”

 

The older man smiled

And looked up to heaven.

For he saw once again that God is truly amazing,

And he took a moment to thank Him.

 

Then Pastor Jim said,

“Yes, my son—you see,

What you saw is all about Jesus.

He has sent you to me,

Because He wants you to know Him,

And He wants you to finally have a family.

 

Jesus came from heaven—

He is the Son of God,

He was born to a woman by the power of the Holy Spirit

And laid in a manger like you saw.

 

But He didn’t stay there—

He grew up and died for our sins

On a cruel cross like you saw.

He was blameless, and all our punishment was laid upon Him.

 

But he didn’t stay dead.

Three days later, He rose from the grave.

His tomb was empty—just as you saw—

He rose from the dead—us to save.

 

Then you saw men—

Staring up at the sky.

Jesus went back to heaven,

To rule and reign on High.

 

Then you saw a white dove

And bright flames of fire.

That was the arrival of the Holy Spirit—

Jesus’ promised Helper.

 

Then you saw a lot of green—

Everywhere you looked.

That green means growth that we all need.

That comes from living the Truth of the Good Book.

 

Lastly, you saw my church full of people—

And why are they here?

Because they love Jesus, they have been forgiven and saved by His grace,

And they are now God’s family full of His love and His care.

 

“But how do you be a part of that family?”

Jakob asked, looking sad.

“I probably wouldn’t count. 

No one would choose me—I’m too bad.”

 

“Son,” Pastor Jim said.

“Jesus came and died for YOU.

He took all the bad things you’ve ever done upon Himself,

And bore the punishment for them too.

 

“You see, my dear child,

We all deserve death,

But Jesus came so we could have life

If we come to Him to find rest.

 

“If we seek salvation in Jesus, knowing He is the Son of God,

And we ask for His forgiveness to make us clean,

He will save us from everything we have done bad—

No matter what we have seen.

 

“Then we give our lives

To follow Jesus as Lord.

We commit to obey Him With the help of His Holy Spirit

And the Word of God—our sword.

 

“Then we become part of God’s family.

We are baptized into a new life.

We now have a Heavenly Father—

Who will be with us in all good and all strife.”

 

“So, sir?”  Jakob asked

As he dared to look up.

“What must I do

To belong to such a One?”

 

“Believe.”  Pastor Jim said.

“Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.

And confess.

Confess with your mouth that

‘Jesus is Lord,’

And you will be saved.

 

“Ask for forgiveness from God,

Turn from your sin.

Be baptized.”

Said Pastor Jim.

 

“Then LOVE Him with all your heart.

If you do, you will obey Him.

To believe is to follow.

To love is to obey and say no to sin.”

 

“I do believe,” Jakob said

With a smile on his face.

“Jesus is Lord,

And I need His grace.”

 

“How do I ask Him to forgive me

And be Lord of my life?”

“Through prayer,” Pastor Jim said.

“Let’s talk to Him now, for prayer is always good and right.”

 

So Jakob and Pastor Jim

Prayed together that day.

Jakob met Jesus,

And Pastor Jim led the way.

 

Jakob no longer

Was lost and alone.

He now had a family

Who took care of their own.

 

The family was none other

Than God’s loving church.

The family of God,

Right here on earth.

 

Are we doing our part

As God’s family

To reach out to the hurting

And offer help and God’s healing to all those in need?