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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Vision (08/03/06)
Chuy’s pain was unbearable. It stared about an hour after dinner and increased that evening. Chuy had experienced heartburn in his upper abdomen before but not like that night. Three hours passed since the onset of the pain that did not subside but grew in intensity. After the fourth hour of pain, Chuy called his brother who lived nearby to take him to the emergency room, but there was no answer. Chuy’s wife couldn’t leave their two toddlers at home alone; besides, the car was in the shop. Finally, Chuy gave in and called for emergency service. He stated to the emergency dispatcher that he was perspiring, and the pain was in the middle of his torso. Before the paramedics arrived, Chuy passed out from the intense pain. When he awoke, he was in the ER alone, he began to worry about work, bills, mortgage payments, and death. Although he knew he was not abandoned and that it was just the circumstances of that evening, he felt alone. As the worries rushed through his mind, Chuy saw a vision. He saw a radiant person in a white gown who looked directly at him and peace and calm instantly surrounded Chuy. Chuy’s vision brought a message of peace in Chuy’s most vulnerable and desolate time.

Throughout Scripture, visions were experienced by men and women of faith. Moses, for example, saw the Angle of Lord in the burning bush. In another example, the two Maries who visited Christ’s empty tomb saw two angels who spoke to them and reassured them that the Lord is not among the dead but is alive. After spending forty years in the desert, Moses met the Angel of the Lord at Mt. Horeb. The name, Mt. Horeb, suggests that it was a desolate place; indeed, its location was in a desert. Its evident that after forty years in the desert and attending to sheep, Moses was a different man. It was a period in Moses life when he may have felt abandoned or useless (his objections can give us further insight to his subjective mental state) a time when he may have felt like a failure or abandoned by God—insignificant. Yet, it was at this period in Moses’ life that he experienced a vision. God revealed himself to Moses at a time when Moses acquiescent to being in the desert and a shepherd. Nonetheless, the Angel of Lord appeared to Moses and called Moses to God’s great service.

In another unexpected vision, the two Maries were at Jesus’ burial when two angels appeared. The angels asked them why they were looking for the living among the dead. In other words, the Angel of Lord had become the incarnate Christ; furthermore, after the resurrection, He is now accessible to all who believe. Christ the second person of the triune God-head who revealed himself as an Angel in visions is now uniquely visible in His church operating through His followers.

In both visions, God revealed himself uniquely to people who needed to receive a message of encouragement. Both Moses and the two Maries were in a state of desolation: Moses, the outlaw, and the two Maries who were grief-stricken over the lost of their loved one Jesus. Yet, it’s just like God to reveal himself to his children when they are at their most vulnerable condition. When we are feeling as if we are in a desolate desert or in a moment of grief, abandonment or uselessness, God is most present in our lives. We tend to connect that if everything is well we are in the Lord’s presence, but Scripture illuminates that a believer who is in a state of desolation is at most in God’s presence—its when God does His best work to heal the hurting soul, lift up the downcast, strengthen the weak, give speech to the mute, and vision to the blind.

Today, we are fortunate to have the resurrected Christ who has come to the world and who has been raised from the dead. We have access to him at any time. He has never abandoned or forsaken us. We just need to acknowledge what Scripture teaches us about our unique and special God that no matter our mental states or physical conditions: His grace is sufficient.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Stacey LaMontagne
08/12/06
Interesting story.

I would not spell "Maries" that way though. It should just be "Marys". It does not look right the other way.

Your point is clear that God is with us in our desolation. Maybe you could define what desolation means though.

Overall I do agree with your point and say "amen". God's grace is sufficient in every trial we must bear. I am so thankful for that.
Helen Paynter
08/13/06
Good message, thankyou - but what happened to Chuy?!
Perhaps you come have come back to him at the end to wrap things up. (I know the word limit will have been a factor). Well done.
Christopher Jenyns
08/17/06
Desolation means to be without any attribute of good. For people, it means to be without strength.

The story is good, but I don't like the ambiguity about the vision, whether it is fact or fiction for one thing (writing about Chuy from the third person creates that problem).