I Will Never Leave Thee

It is a recurring dream and it is always disturbing.

I dream that my husband and I are at some event, such as a wedding, in a city away from home.  At some point we become separated and I spend a great deal of time searching for him without success.

Image by quinet via FlickrIn my dream today, we had attended a wedding and then traveled to the bride's house for the reception.  I looked for him in every room, but he was no where to be found.

The hallways and doorways in the house were extremely narrow, the staircases circuitous.  The end of each staircase was blocked with some type of obstacle which must be overcome -- one was blocked by a very large man sleeping with an enormous quilt.  Each time I would encounter him he would grunt, begrudgingly move his quilt, then move himself only the slightest amount.  I would try to squeeze through the tiny gap created without touching, or disturbing the man any further than I had already.

The doors to each entry and staircase never gave any indication to what was beyond, so I never knew where I was headed when I opened a door and apparently in my dream there was no going back either.  I just kept making the same circuits of multiple routes, looking in every nook and cranny for my husband, finding no sign or trace of him.

As my search continued unsuccessfully, my frustration mounted.  In each dream, there is no place for rest, no site of respite, no friendly face.  I am in an unfamiliar place surrounded by people I have barely met.

Finally, near the end of my dream, I hear the strum of a guitar which leads me to find my husband.  By that time I am either completely frustrated or just downright angry.  Now you may not have ever seen this Irish Greek girl get mad, but I promise you, it is not a pretty sight.

My husband of course, is totally surprised that I should feel that way.  After all, what am I so upset about?  What was there to be frustrated about?  Angry about?  No amount of talking, crying, stomping my weary little foot can cause him to see -- or feel-- what I feel.

I wake up feeling abandoned, misunderstood and most of all. . .alone.  It is a sad feeling.  Fortunately, I have a very kind and supportive husband who reassures me that he would never behave in that way, and indeed he never has.  But the feelings don't easily go away, especially that feeling of alone-ness.

However, if we have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are never -- and can never be alone.  He has come to live inside of us and He has promised to never leave us.  The Apostle Paul assured us that:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord," (Romans 8:35-39).

Whether we are in a room full of strangers or physically all alone, we will never be alone.  We cannot be separated from the One who laid down His life that we might eternally be joined to Him in glory.

"For He hath said, I will never leave thee, 

nor forsake thee." 

Hebrews 13:5