Beloved, in the stillness of the night, a vision was given to me, one that carried the weight of ages past and the urgency of this very moment. I was taken to a vast and desolate landscape, where the ground was scorched, and the remnants of broken altars lay scattered across the earth. The sky above was dark, a heavy shroud pressing down upon the land, as if mourning the faith that had once burned brightly but now flickered like a dying flame.
Before me stood the remnant—God’s people, the ones who have been called out, yet now find themselves weary and disillusioned. Their faces were marked with the sorrow of long journeys, their eyes dimmed by the fading light of hope. They wandered far from their first love, burdened by the weight of the world, entangled in the cares of this life. But then, beloved, the voice of the Lord came, urgent and clear, calling you back to your purpose.
In the midst of their wandering, a voice like the sound of many waters called out, reverberating through the heavens and the earth, a voice filled with both sorrow and steadfast love.
“Return to the cross!” the voice cried, and in that moment, the darkness above began to shift. A single beam of light pierced through the clouds, illuminating a distant hill where a solitary cross stood. The cross, old and rugged, bore the marks of sacrifice—the blood of the Lamb, shed once for all (Hebrews 10:10). The light of the cross shone like a beacon in the night, calling the remnant back to the place where their journey had begun.
Beloved, the time is now. This is the hour to which you have been called, for you were called for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). The days of slumber are over. It is time to awaken and engage in the work that God has set before you.
The voice called again, more insistent this time, resonating in the depths of their souls:
“Remember the price that was paid, the blood that was shed for your redemption!” The words hung in the air, and I saw the people pause, their hearts stirred by the memory of their Savior, the One who bore their sins in His body on the cross, that they might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Peter 2:24). The One who said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), now calls them back to Himself. Awaken, O remnant, for the hour is at hand!
As the remnant began to turn their eyes toward the cross, the landscape around them started to change. The broken altars began to tremble, and from the ashes, new altars of worship began to rise. The scent of incense, pure and holy, filled the air as the people fell to their knees in repentance. The bitterness of sin and the sting of compromise were washed away as they knelt before the cross, their hearts broken open in worship and surrender.
“Return to Me with all your heart,” the voice continued, gentle yet filled with authority. “For you have been bought with a price; you are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). “Come back to the place of your first love, to the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
Beloved, the time is now. The days are short, and the night is far spent. You were called for such a time as this. Do not delay, for the Lord’s work is at hand, and His call to you is urgent. Awaken and engage in the mission He has given you.
The voice then anchored the vision in the words of Christ, words that had echoed through the ages and now resounded with renewed urgency:
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
And as these words were spoken, the cross began to radiate with an even greater light, filling the entire landscape. The darkness that had once enveloped the land fled before the brilliance of the cross, and the remnant, now united in their return, stood together in the light of His glory. Their chains fell away, and the burdens that had weighed them down were lifted, as the power of the cross renewed their strength and restored their joy.
Beloved, the vision did not end with the cross alone, but with a promise—a promise that echoes in the hearts of the remnant as they stand together, their eyes fixed on the One who has called them.
“I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20), the voice declared, and the remnant knew that they were not alone. The Lord of all creation, the risen Christ, walks with them, leading them forward, not just to the cross, but beyond it—into the resurrection life, into the mission that lies ahead.
The vision fades, but the call remains: Return to the cross, O remnant of God. Remember the sacrifice, remember the Savior, and come back to your first love. The time is now. The world may have drawn you away, the cares of life may have burdened you, but the cross still stands, its power undiminished, its promise unbroken. You were called for such a time as this. Return, and be renewed. Return, and be restored. Awaken and engage, and find your rest in the One who loved you and gave Himself for you (Galatians 2:20).
The cross is your anchor, the resurrection your hope, and the return of your Savior your assurance. Stand firm, O remnant, and let your hearts be steadfast, for He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23). The time is now. Return to the cross, and behold the glory of the risen Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come (Revelation 1:8). Amen.
