The fallen sign

A few days after the third dream, I had a little time to read at the lake and the sun came out fully in the late afternoon. I went back to Beaver Pond, a place of quiet solitude where I used to read and write last summer.

I carried a water bottle, my book and Bible to the edge of the pond. I sat down and started reading, aware of little birds and the voice of some kids walking along the sand.

One of the boys spotted something at the water’s edge and called out, “Hey! What’s that? A basketball hoop?” The two brothers ran right past me to discover something lying in the shallow water. I couldn’t believe it. They had seen the sign that I wrote about last year. Somehow it was knocked down and just left there protruding slightly from the water.

“What does it say?” they asked curiously. The old familiar words, ‘caution deep water drop off’ didn’t seem to make much sense or carry much relevance to these youngsters. It’s funny, I was thinking, they could have asked me. I was right there in ear shot and knew exactly what it said and what it meant. I remember when the sign was attached to a long line of buoys, delineating the places where the deep water ran. I'd even written an article about it last summer! [The Little White Sign, July 06] But they didn’t ask.

Instead, the older brother decided to jump on it, roller board style, but it didn’t offer much of a ride. With all his weight he tried to snap it, but it wasn’t breaking. He pounced on it over and over, hoping for some exciting reaction. A snap, a break, but the sign held firm. Quickly bored with its potential for fun, they strolled away and meandered down the beach looking for something more interesting to do. Truly, this is a disregarded warning sign--nothing but an unwanted bit of useless information. They left it lying in the sand.


Watching their backs and their slumped shoulders as they walked away, it struck me. This is how our generation too often treats the Word of God. Once it stood plainly, marking the edge of the drop off. Then it began to be degraded, removed from schools and people’s hearts.

We are a people who have been systematically discarding and disregarding the Word of God. We have despised the warnings. Churches have closed, clergy has fallen into one sad scandal after another, and the house of God has fallen into disrepair just as this sign has been trampled in the sand. Some try to destroy it, but it can’t be broken. God’s Word will hold true and stay strong under attack. The day will come that no one will remember there was a drop off, or a sign that in clear red letters tried to warn the passersby. Many won't know it until they stumble into the dark waters and find that there is no life saver in reach. It will be too late.

God doesn’t seem much fun, so humanity has drifts on by. Some may have tried church, halfheartedly attempting to jump-start a spiritual life with a prayer or two. But whatever the expectation, He didn’t seem worth the time of day. Upside down words don’t make much sense and don’t seem worth deciphering. It's not near as exciting as a basketball hoop to a couple of boys.

The clear red letters of the Lord’s Word can be easily understood to those who ask. There is help available, right within ear shot, but no one asks. The Lord promised the Holy Spirit to those who ask him and wisdom to those who seek it, but they don’t bother. I wonder if the day's coming that it will even be hard to find someone who knows and remembers the words, or the days that they stood proudly in public places?

This little episode left me reflecting again on the three dreams I’ve had. All the repeated warnings in the world can’t effect a soul unless they have the honest heart of a seeker.

The Lord and his prophets have been calling out in the streets and villages, “Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit says! Today is the day of salvation. Don’t let it pass you by!”

Seek the Lord while he may be found, my friend.