Recently, I had a dream.....In the dream I was among a large group of people in an outside area, it was night. Every person in the group was carrying a candle, and each person had already lit their candle.
The crowd started a game---the object of the game was to see which person could blow out/extinguish the most candles (candles which others were holding).
During the game...I blew out/extinguished the most candles.
In the days following the dream...HOLY GOD our FATHER put together the happenings of the dream with with some events from earlier times in my life:
1) On a hot summer afternoon, I was taking a walk along a paved road near our home. As I arrived at the top of a hill, I saw a butterfly on the pavement - it was injured, it could not fly. Very carefully, I picked up the butterfly, and carried it across the road. I gently placed it in the grass (well away from the road), and in a place where the sun was shining brightly on that grass.
2) On yet another sunny summer afternoon, I stepped out of our garage-onto the gravel in front of our garage... Although there was ONLY gravel there (no flowers nearby), still, there was a beautiful butterfly perched on the gravel. It, also, was unable to fly. So I gently picked it up and carried it over to the edge of the woods where there
were some flowers growing in the warm sunshine. I placed the butterfly near the flowers in the warm sunshine.
HOLY GOD OUR FATHER began to give me the understanding that I am to be one who NURTURES LIFE.
Many of you already know that butterflies are considered to be a symbol of LIFE.
I Thessalonians 2:7 - "But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children."
The Greek word (thalpo) (Strongs # 2282) used here in the New Testament---means: to cherish, to warm, to tenderly care. The word means literally "keep warm". Also, the Greek word (pneuma) is used for "spirit", "air", and "wind". (Strongs # 4151),
(John 6:63) (JESUS speaking) - "It is the Spirit Who gives life...The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."
So, what are you (and I) to do???
We are NOT to blow out/extinguish the candle in others.
We are to frequently ASK, and ALLOW, the Holy Spirit to speak JESUS' words through our thoughts, our words, our prayers, and our actions --- to nurture...nourish...tenderly care for ...keep warm---His life in others.
JESUS says "I AM the light." (John 8:12).
(JESUS speaking) "It is the Spirit WHO gives life...the words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63).
