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Have you ever noticed while listening to other Christians that you sooner or later recognized by whom they were taught? I am not thinking here of discerning one or several human teachers ‘behind them’ since we all were taught by teachers. However, you suddenly perceived by whom their human spirit had been guided. Whether they seemed to be self-taught believers, whether they voiced denominational specifics, or if they were even able to speak directly to your heart; you ‘knew’ it. Indeed, God speaking through another human being can be a very uplifting experience but I am afraid, it does not happen often unless there are two or three believers gathered in His name.

What then does it mean to gather in HIS name? Well, first of all, it does not mean to fellowship in our own names, not in what our old Adam nature has to contribute apart from the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Of course, there are times when we can talk about whatever comes to mind. But if we continually let the flesh rule over us, only (spiritual) death is produced and we are left empty without having been enlivened and edified in our human spirit. The Scripture I found in today’s devotional from T. Austin-Sparks confirms this since it says,

“The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. (John 6:63 NLT)”

This afternoon I was reminded of a haunting dream I had about two years ago.

In this dream I found myself in a schoolhouse that strongly reminded me of my former high school. Even the doors looked like the ones I often opened and closed for nine years back then. Touching the silver-gray door handle, you could not miss to detect the color of the doors: they were crimson. I was just walking along one of these many corridors when I saw a door to my right side which stood wide open. Inviting, as it seemed to me. I was curious and looked around the open door into the class room.

“Oh… What is this?” I wondered. 🙄 I saw a tall white lamb standing between the open door and the doorway. A bit indecisive and with a sad expression on his face as it seemed to me. He was also looking into the room but nobody inside took notice of him. I felt immediate compassion for this beautiful white lamb and took him on my arms. Since he was rather heavy, I was looking for a place to sit down with him soon. The arrangement of all the desks and chairs was truly chaotic as they were standing criss-cross in the class room. And alas, all the chairs were occupied except for a smaller one without a desk in the middle, yet right at the back of the room.

As I was eventually seated with this heavy lamb on my thighs, I held him tightly and started to look around. There were no young people here. Some of them were talking with one another and they greeted me warmly so that I felt comfortable despite this uncomfortable chair we were sitting on. Whenever I loosed my grip a bit, the lamb began to slide down over my knees. Admittedly, it was rather difficult to keep him close to me without letting him down.

All these people around me seemed to wait for the teacher’s arrival but nobody came. As the lesson had not yet begun, I rather focused on the lamb. Over time I started to feel a warmth coming from his body that drenched my whole being. The longer he was sitting on my lap, the more he seemed to melt into me. I could not and I would not speak a word at all because I felt The Teacher was already present. Without any outward sign He instilled His warmth and His love into me. Then the dream ended.

Just now the Lord reminded me of a vision I had that seems to belong to the dream.

In this vision Jesus seated me in front of Himself on a white horse. As we were riding slowly, I could feel His love and the warmth of His body close behind me, too. The garment that covered His chest even seemed to be warm AND wet because my back slowly got moisty as well. As I curiously turned around, I saw to my astonishment that His robe was fully blood-soaked. Daring a short glance into His face right above me, too, I was awestruck by His firmly determined expression. Despite feeling His love inside me, this Man appeared to be the opposite of the meek and humble lamb in my dream. The Word of God waging war will be a terrifying sight for everyone who rejected Him and His rule over us all.

In closing, I offer you another excerpt from T. Austin-Sparks’ book “Followers of the Lamb”, chapter 5 – “The Government of Love”. TAS said,

“It will be the measure in which we follow the Lamb, as the LAMB, and what that word means in all its content, that will be the measure of our present and eternal value to God in others — just that measure. Therefore, if the Lord seems to be taking you more than ordinarily into sufferings; if it does seem that yours is an unusually hard way, and the Lord’s hand seems to be very heavily upon you: do interpret in the light of this ultimate issue in the whole book of God, that others are to get benefit, others are to come into some good through the way He is taking you.

“That really is the way of service. The principle of service is suffering: you cannot get away from it. And the measure of value is the measure of your fellowship with Him in His sufferings. I repeat, that we cannot get away from this — it is true. Perhaps some are now able to recognize this, and to see quite clearly that, if the Lord has been able to use them, it has been because of the deep way in which He has led them — and that is the justification of it.” (1)

May our Lord transform us into sheep that follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Amen.

(1) https://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/000809.html

In keeping with T. Austin-Sparks’ wishes that what was freely received should be freely given and not sold for profit, and that his messages be reproduced word for word, we ask if you choose to share these messages with others, to please respect his wishes and offer them freely – free of any changes, free of any charge (except necessary distribution costs) and with this statement included.

All images by Susanne Schuberth 2024