Nightmare

The dream started innocently enough with a tour of Heaven.
 
My Host (I never saw his face, only heard the voice) guided me, along with a few others (though I never saw their faces either)through this tour of Heaven. I really don’t remember everything, or really much of anything that I saw there. I don’t remember seeing Jesus or His throne… and I don’t recall seeing angels or golden streets. Though, somehow I know they were there. 
 
I do, however, remember the sense of great peace and joy that I felt… and the sense of awe for where I was. I remember that it was everything I imagined it would be… and more.
 
Then the Host asked us if we wanted to tour hell.
 
I remember the sense of dread that I felt when the question was asked. Yet, we agreed to a tour… as we were assured that it would be just a tour. And in a flash, we were there… in the midst of hell.
 
As the tour began, I remember thinking that hell looked a lot like earth… like a normal neighborhood… like a place that we would normally live… and work. And it surprised me because it was nothing like what I had expected. I saw no flames. I heard no weeping… no gnashing of teeth (remember this was just a dream and not necessarily a biblical study).
 
That’s when I saw what looked like a young man swimming laps in a pool.
 
And I thought, ”A pool… in hell? This makes no sense. This can’t be hell.”
 
As I continued to watch, I noticed that the swimmer was not making any progress. In fact, it looked as if he was trying to reach the edge of the pool but could not quite reach it. With each stroke, a hand would reach for the side and miss… and then the struggle would begin again… Stroke… Reach… Miss… Stroke… Reach… Miss… Again, and again and again. The swimmer was trying desperately to reach the side… to grab the side… to somehow pull himself out of the pool. He could not.
 
As I saw this, I wondered, “Where is the life guard?” and I ran to the pool to give the swimmer some help. All he needed was a hand to grab… someone or something to hold on to… to grab hold of… someone to help pull him out of the pool. I could see the exhaustion on his face… the desperation in his eyes. I had to find a way to help him.
 
As I kneeled and reached my hand out to the swimmer, I felt the hand of my Host on my shoulder, and I heard the deep voice say, ”You can’t help… There’s nothing you can do… This one can’t be saved… The swimmer is already in hell.”
 
”No! I can reach him. I can help him! I can help save him!” I cried as tears welled up in my eyes. 

“No! It’s too late for him. No one can save him now.”
 
All the swimmer needed was a hand and I couldn’t give it to him. I couldn’t help. He had to struggle for the rest of eternity.
 
As we walked on, everywhere I looked, I saw men and women… students and teenagers… boys and girls… all struggling with their worst nightmare, with their greatest fear. And there was nothing any of us could do. I felt great sorrow and sadness. Knowing that these people would be there for all eternity in agony… pain… frustration… desperation… and exhaustion. In their own hell… their own flames… their own weeping and gnashing of teeth.
 
As I woke from the dream, my heart racing and eyes wet with tears, it hit me. All that the swimmer needed… all that the other people needed was someone to care… to share… to lead them in the right direction. All those people needed was for someone to take a moment… to take a little time to help with their struggles… their fears… their concerns. All those people needed was for someone to be obedient… to feel God’s pull on their heart… to hear God’s call for their life. All those people needed… all this world needs is for someone… anyone… to introduce them to Jesus. Before it is too late.
 
Is that someone you? Is that person… me? 
 
“Then He said to His disciples,“The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” 
- Matthew 9:37-38 HCSB

Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem