A View From the Eyes of God

A week or so ago, on my way home from church, I decided to take a drive through another town, Hawksville.  As I was driving many of the streets there (I drive these streets from time to time) I once again saw a cemetery, as I have seen many times before.  I've always wanted to stop and go through the cemetery for fun, because it interests me, but I've never had the time to do so.  However, this time I had the time and I really felt the peace of God saying that I should.  So I started walking around the older tombstones, fascinated by many of them.  But as I was making my way across the property, I suddenly felt the Spirit of God on me in a heavy way.  I looked around and saw families standing over old and new tombstones crying, I saw glimpses of many funeral burials and funeral processions.  I saw many people, some broken, some sad, some just there because they felt obligated to be there.  I saw the before and after of the burial.  I saw people coming after the funeral to visit the place of burial.  I saw families coming and going.  Then I saw a spiritual view of it all; people who were sad that they lost a loved one, yet rejoicing for the joy they had in Jesus; people who were sad and broken, yet confused by the idea they the dead person was saved by Christ; and people who were sad and broken, and were crushed and torn away, rotting and shaking in their Spiritual lifeless bodies.

I saw the hopes of people.  I saw that some saw a graveyard as a place to come morn for the dead and to live in the past, whereas others came to remember and respect their elders, but then leave and live in the present.  I saw the cemetery being "built" and sections being added on.  I saw the stages of life in this world; I saw the life that no one knew was in there.  I saw the gravestones and the peoples spirits that were once in those bodies.  I saw brokenness, lifelessness and pain.  I saw hurting, confusion and un-earthly feelings.  But then I saw others, other's tombs and saw their joy and peace, for they were with Christ, and had a personal relationship with Him.  I saw those who had a relationship with Him, and those who actively pursued a growing, deepening relationship with Him.  In those I saw great joy and love.  But the tombs of joy were numbered few.   Most were hurting and lost.  Most were lifeless and crying out, crying out for someone to help them, to take them from their agony.  I saw the pain and brokenness of those who were buried here and those who have visited here.

I read the words of the different stones and saw meaning and intentions behind them.  Most were typical phrases that were placed out of the "hope" that their loved one was in a better place or that they were something here on earth.  Yet a small few were rooted in true life and joy.  Some who saw the meaning of the loved one's life here, and yet saw the so much greater life they had ahead of them.  The Holy Spirit showed me those who were saved and those who were not.

I was overcome by the immense brokenness in that place.  I saw so much brokenness.  I saw so many lost, who did not hear the love of Christ.  Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me telling me, "don't let my children die not knowing me.  Bring them to my love, show them me.   Don't let anymore of my children go to the grave not knowing me."  - A continuation of previous words He has spoken to me.  He told me to lead his people out of darkness, to lead them in His light to Him.  That I was chosen to be one of His vessels.

The whole time it was saddening and glorious at the same time.  There was life and lostness at the same time.  Love and death.  Pace and pain.  Confusion and laughter.  Crying and jumping.

Then I came to a tree, a big, old tree in the cemetery.  I saw it as Christ.  His is rooted here and reaches out His branches to cover us, but not everyone comes under the covering.  And some that do come under the covering do no know Him.

At one point I was standing in the very back of the cemetery and I saw a man walking His dog around the path.  I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to go ask him if I could pray for him.  I procrastinated.  As he was walking a bit closer to me, I started walking toward him, but the way it worked out was, it seemed, that he saw me as following him.  I was standing in the back until he came up and them I am following him???? - that seems a bit suspicious.  His pace seemed to quicken and he eyed me often.  So I made my path angle a bit towards my car.  He then left the cemetery and I missed my chance to talk to him - all because I procrastinated.  

After a bit, I was again asking for forgiveness for not obeying God right away, and he told me to turn left out of the cemetery, so I drove left.  Then he kept having me make right turns - the whole time I'm looking for that guy, to see If I can still talk to him - there was no sign of him.  After several right turns I was facing the cemetery again and I saw a lady doing some work on the greenery outside her house and I thought to stop and ask her If I can pray for her.  As I was pulling up, she was finishing up and heading in, but I stopped just in time and had a good chat with her.