Did you ever have a dream that just would not go away? One that was so real that regardless of how much you tried to push it out of your mind, it was still there, gnawing away at your consciousness, pushing its way into your thoughts?

Recently, I had a dream like that. It was the most frightening one of my life. When it was over I remained asleep. Then--as if once was not enough--the dream was repeated, and I had to watch every vivid detail of it for the second time. When I finally woke up, I was greatly relieved to learn that it was only a nightmare. I thought, I will tell this to no one, I will not even think about it again; I will go back to sleep, and when I wake up in the morning, it will be gone.

Early the next day it tried to enter my thoughts, but I fought it; I simply refused to let it in. Then somehow, in the afternoon, it battered its way through the locked doors of my mind, and I knew that I could not run away from it. Sooner or later something that continually bothers you and clings to your life has to be dealt with.

It was then that I realized this dream carried in it a message from the Lord. It was more than a nightmare! No longer will I try to block it out of my mind; no longer will I keep it to myself. Now, as the meaning has unfolded, I want to tell it to every Christian who will listen.

In the dream, I was in a room with a small group of people. We were standing in front of a large window, which covered most of an interior wall. Through that window we could clearly see something taking place in the next room that was so shocking that we covered our eyes, turned our heads, and jumped up and down in a state of panic, while shouting to a doctor who was on the other side of the window: "Do something! Do something!"

Looking through the window, we had a side view of a large reclining couch that occupied most of the space in the room. It was made for comfort: it had a built in back rest, a head rest and a foot rest. On the far side of the couch was a naked woman. She was lying on her back with her knees raised, while her feet were flat on the couch. Her face revealed that she was experiencing terrible pain.

An operation was being performed on the woman by the doctor without the use of an anesthetic. Her body was thrashing violently, and out of her mouth came the most horrible screams that I have ever heard. This went on and on as we watched in despair.

The doctor performing this operation was small in stature: he was only about two feet tall. He stood on the couch beside the naked woman, and, with a sharp instrument that he held with both hands, frantically slashed away at her abdomen. It was a horror scene. I saw every gash that he made. I felt almost as though it were happening to me. This doctor was a madman, completely out of control; and the more we shouted at him to do something, the faster he would slash away at the flesh of the woman. Each slash would cause her to scream louder.

Seated in a semi-reclining position, on the side of the couch nearest to us, was a big handsome man. His feet extended beyond the lower end of the couch and his back rested against the headboard. His right sleeve was rolled up, exposing a strong arm that was resting on the top of the headboard, extended in the direction of the woman. It was apparent that this was her husband. His face revealed that he had a great love for his wife and a deep concern and sorrow for the suffering she was experiencing due to the condition she was in. It was also obvious that he wanted to help her, but he would not have any part in the kind of an operation that was taking place; that was completely out of his field.

Throughout the dream, I could sense the pain of the woman, the frustration of the doctor, the compassion of the husband, and our helplessness as spectators.

It was later in the day when the identity of the woman in my dream was revealed to me, and it shocked me to the very core of my being. She is the most beautiful, the most talented, the wealthiest and most powerful woman in existence. She is none other than the Bride of Christ!

It is hard to deal with pain. Most Christians will not face the reality of the present condition of the Bride. Even the small group of us in my dream who were in the viewing room tried not to look at the woman, but her suffering was too great to ignore.

The Bible teaches that when one member of the Body of Christ suffers, all the members suffer. I am a member of that Body, and, lately, when I look at the Bride of Christ, I feel a lot of pain.

I get sick when I think of all the Christians whose marriages are breaking up, and what makes it harder to bear is seeing the devastation that it brings upon their children.

I know brothers and sisters in the Lord, some who were preachers, singers, street workers, highly talented and greatly gifted people who once loved Christ and labored for Him in the gospel field, who have now left their First Love, departed from the Lord's service and, like Demas, have returned to a love of this present world (2Tim.4:10). Oh, does that hurt!

I helplessly watched my best friend, a greatly anointed man of God, fall from a high position in the service of our Lord to the low status of an alcoholic and drug addict, which led to the destruction of his life here on earth. Now that really hurts!

In my dream, this great woman--the Bride of Christ--who has been given by God the finest and most expensive clothing in all existence, was naked. This magnificent wo- man who has access to the supernatural power of God was helpless. This wondrous woman whom Jesus called "the light of the world" and "the salt of the earth" (Mat.5:13,14) was in such a terrible condition that she was not able to let her light shine enough to be an inspiration to anyone. Where was the mighty armor of God that she owned? What happened to the wonderful inheritance that Jesus bequeathed to her? Why wasn't she wearing her robe of righteousness woven for her at Calvary?

If you happen to see me not getting excited when I hear a thrilling testimony, don't be surprised. If I don't join in a song or go to a meeting, don't worry, I haven't backslidden; I am just hurting because I was shown the Bride of Christ in great pain. In my spirit I know how the prophet Jeremiah felt when he cried: "For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" (Jer.8:21, 22)

Picture in your mind going into an operating room and seeing a naked woman, who has had no anesthetic, having an operation performed on her by a lunatic doctor. Can you imagine anyone saying to her, "Would you like to see the blueprints for our new church addition?" or "Can I sign you up for a tour of the Holy Land? If you come with our group, you will be able to get a discount from the travel agency."

No . . . this is not a time to sing songs. It is a time for weeping, a time to hang our harps upon the willows (Ps.137:2), a time to pray, because the beautiful Bride of Christ is in great pain. And the irony of it is that most of her pain is unnecessary; it could have been avoided!

The woman in my dream was large in stature, which indicates that there are many in the Body of Christ who are in the same condition as she is. I believe she has brought a lot of the pain upon herself, which means that if she could get into such an awful dilemma, she also has the ability to get herself out. But in order for her to get well, she must first face up to her problem. Unfortunately, up to now, she has refused to deal with it.

There are multitudes of believers in the world who are going through many afflict- ions and persecutions due to their faith who remain faithful and are bringing glory to God. They are alive and well and are in excellent spiritual shape. The woman in my dream does not represent them, but rather those who are going through another type of suffering--the kind that does not glorify the Lord.

When I became aware that my dream was more than a nightmare, that it was a picture of the present condition of the Bride of Christ, I was in a state of despair, because the last scene that I remember before I woke up showed her in horrible agony. However, I am glad to report that she will not remain in that position; she will rise up to great heights, even to the very top, because she truly is a winner. This I know, not because I saw it in a dream, but due to the fact that it is stated in the Word of God. The Bible says, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready" (Rev.19:7). Oh, Bride of Christ, it is time to rise up from your misery and get on the road to recovery!

When someone is wounded, you don't rub salt into his wound; you give him a healing ointment. If a man is drowning, you don't say to him, "Hey, you are drowning," he already knows that; you throw him a life preserver. If a Christian has stumbled and fallen into sin, we shouldn't try to lay a guilt trip on him; the Holy Spirit is the One who convicts of sin (John 16:8). Our reasonable duty is to pray for the one who has fallen, and then try our best to help him get up.