I Once had a friend - A Dream

I once had a friend who was always there.
We dreamed and schemed for things grand.
Words were spoken, bonds forged.
But alas, it was just a dream.

I once had a friend who fought with me.
We stood side by side slaying the enemy.
Wielding a spiritual sword speaking words true.
But alas, it was just a dream.

Bonds formed with common purpose and vision.
“His Only Son for us!” we shouted.
Wrapped in tears, prayers on our knees.
We stood firm on the Rock or so I thought.

The enemy is crafty, our bodies weak.
For it tis to easy to fall asleep.
Can you not pray while I am away?
Resist temptation for the glory of my Name.

I fell asleep, we fell asleep.
I slept to the deception to my face.
He slept to lust, greed, avarice, and lies.
“We are all forgiven” he would say.
“If we just believe in the Name.
God is my Judge and I will be saved.”

Out to dinner we would go;
four, then five, we would grow.
Two married couples and an assistant to boot,
who alone would run the group

My friend and the assistant left the table.
“Excuse us please, if you are able.
We work for God, we lie in His stable.
We are off to tread for our daily bread.”

So excused they were to lead the pack.
So the three of us there, sat and sat
For long we waited with no return.
So my wife and I felt spurned.

We left to ask where is the pack?
Why have we not been able to act?
“God is the leader, we forge ahead.
Go back to the table and wait for the bread.”

Three sat and prayed, watched and waited.
Again the two were gone long, we debated.
So his wife soon stood, this is not right,
I don’t trust when you are gone from my sight.

“Crazy you are! What comes is from the Lord.
It is your own fault you are so bored.
If I don’t hate my own life, my wife,
I am not worthy to be a disciple.”

Submitted did she though not happy to flee.
To her table she came hand in hand,
with four small children belonging to the man.
For joy and peace we looked up, our only hope

Quietly, we left the table because we were able.
Peered around the corner and snuck to the window.
Our eyes wide, our mouths aghast,
belief in our eyes, two entwined in passion.

Our anger flared, the wife turned to divorce.
My wife and I set off on another course.
Away we walked to get our things.
At the table we returned to don our hats.

He quickly returned, not sad at our going.
“This is from God” the two of them uttered.
He flung his spiritual hat at my head,
worse words could not have been said.

My heart dropped in my chest, I hung my head.
Out of their sight trudged I and my wife.
Yet his mocking was not to be done.
He followed along to ensure we were gone.

We walked through a field green and so bright
While striding along, another knife flew
Another hat, I was hit in my back
I turned to look and saw a smirk

Grabbing the hat angry and sad,
ready to throw it back at the man.
I will do better than you, I said in my heart
God is the Judge, my hands then unclasped
To the ground now did drop, a symbol I see
The tigers logo lay, I no longer distraught

We turned to walk again, now in sadness engulfed
Another hat was flung just missing our feet
Bending down, picking it up, disbelief grew
Will we never be through?

Once there is grace, twice leave my face
Toward the fence, the hat it flew
Ready to crest, never to return
Just then, a great gust blew

The hat landed safely in the hand of the man
“Ha” he said, “see even in this God knew
I am so blessed in whatever I do.
God will keep me, I follow His call.”

So on we trudged joyous in the Son
Still in disbelief, wondering for relief
Could God really forgive, was he ever His?
God knows the end, Jonah can sit and wait

Finally we arrived, there seemed to be a gate
I slipped through a crack, did not see it open
We were shouted at, told we were not right
I left through the gate and walked further on

Up a paved sidewalk we strode confident and true
hand in hand, we climbed, ever further side by side
By the roadside, my wife saw a game, to it she ran
jumped up and in, and sploosh, landed with a laugh

I laughed, I smiled but onward we march
we must press on, more hills to embark
We have not yet reached the top of this time
Yet I stood for a moment with joy in my heart.

After all this dream did I awake
A light in the closet begged investigate
A smile I soon found of a familiar face
Neither could she sleep, stomachs upset

We spoke for a moment, but cried much more
Since our youth, we had both prayed, God
The cry of our hearts bring a best friend
The sadness began at what had come about
Our best friends, for nine years straight
In an instant all would be gone, memories remain

My wife with tears flowing, lamenting, and sad
Weeping, saying “God, oh, what a loss”
“Where is my bosom pal?, someone always present
to continually journey with, through all my travail

Turning to her, I said with a toss
Don’t you see, God gave you me
Heaving and breathing, God showed me too
through thick tears, one flesh from two

Who knows what God has wrought
Let me leave with just one thought
This world passes by and soon we will die
In whom do you trust?
Hold fast to the truth
That God has made us
Trust in His Word
to Judge this world.

EPILOGUE

Don’t be deceived, God is not mocked
We can be forgiven for whatever we wrought
To often though, we sit assured
By the lies we tell ourselves, always sure
thinking we are saved, while we fall to our grave
liars and charlatans often so sure
their snake oil, thick and pure, saying
“My God is so big and so mighty,
there is nothing that He cannot do”
Yet ignore the idol of their own making.

Matt 18:15-35 1 Cor 6 Matt 7:1-14

“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

How sad when the great and mighty fall! Repent and be saved.