An Inside Cover

Monday, August 11, 2008, 6:38 a.m. – I woke with this song in my head:

The Right Thing / Mandisa

I got all my excuses
I got my list of fears
I’ve counted all the reasons why you’ve called the wrong hero to be here

It’s not safe; it’s just not worth it
Doing the right thing is just too hard
But I’ve believed those lies for long enough and I’m not gonna listen anymore

‘Cause I remember you said when all hope is gone help will come

And give me strength to go farther and climb higher
Courage that burns inside like a fire
No turning back. This is the Day.
And I will do what I need to
And when I need you I know your love will come to the rescue
No turning back. This is the day I do the right thing

So what if I’m not the strongest
A little weaker than I’d like to be
But even I can do what’s right because
I know the king is calling me
To live a life worth looking up to
Holding on to what matters most

Nobody said it was gonna be easy
But I know I’ll never be alone
‘Cause when all hope is gone help will come
Come from above

I also woke from A DREAM: I was working for someone. One of my jobs was to rip outside covers off of books that were put together with staples. I had to be careful that I did not rip an inside cover, though.

Well, one day I accidentally ripped the inside cover of one of the books. I set it aside to be repaired with scotch tape. I was gone for something and when I returned I realized that someone had gathered up the books to give out to the children, I believe, but I had not had a chance to repair the book.

I said something to a man in the office. I said “Are they going to fire me now?” I must have made some reference to this man in the office about another employee being fired previously because this man said something to me to the effect that he didn’t realize everyone had gotten the e-mail about it. He told me about the firing of the other employee as though he thought I had direct knowledge of it, but it was just something I sensed. And, I sensed that I was going to be fired, too.

Then the boss came into the room with this grim look on his face and said that they had to make some cut-backs so he had to let me go. I handled the news well because I was prepared that this might happen, yet when I began to pack up everything to go I did cry because I’m a female and I get emotional. END

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Isaiah 31:

Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt
1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the multitude of their chariots
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
or seek help from the LORD.
2 Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster;
he does not take back his words.
He will rise up against the house of the wicked,
against those who help evildoers.

3 But the Egyptians are men and not God;
their horses are flesh and not spirit.
When the LORD stretches out his hand,
he who helps will stumble,
he who is helped will fall;
both will perish together.

4 This is what the LORD says to me:
"As a lion growls,
a great lion over his prey—
and though a whole band of shepherds
is called together against him,
he is not frightened by their shouts
or disturbed by their clamor—
so the LORD Almighty will come down
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.

5 Like birds hovering overhead,
the LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem;
he will shield it and deliver it,
he will 'pass over' it and will rescue it."

6 Return to him you have so greatly revolted against, O Israelites. 7 For in that day every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold your sinful hands have made.

8 "Assyria will fall by a sword that is not of man;
a sword, not of mortals, will devour them.
They will flee before the sword
and their young men will be put to forced labor.

9 Their stronghold will fall because of terror;
at sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic,"
declares the LORD,
whose fire is in Zion,
whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

My Understanding: I’ve been praying for understanding of this dream all day. This is what I understand so far. Rip: to roughly tear something apart; to take something from somebody, or remove somebody from a place in a way that seems unjust. Cover: to conceal a feeling, action, or situation by presenting a different appearance or directing attention elsewhere (Encarta Dictionary). So in “ripping” the “outside covers” off these books “I” am tearing apart or removing from place actions or situations on the outside that are concealed and where the attention has been directed elsewhere. In contrast to that, to “rip an inside cover,” would mean to expose a cover-up of some kind within the organization – in your own camp.

I am representing someone else in this dream who is in a situation where this has already happened or it is going to happen. Another “employee” has already been fired. I can’t help but feel this is in the political arena and this employee was hired with the sole purpose of ripping apart the “outside” party’s, i.e. the opponent’s “covers.” It sounds like dirty politics to me. Nonetheless, this employee of the organization and/or political party or a news organization, perhaps, has accidently uncovered something within the organization – ripped “an inside cover.” So, she was fired or will be fired on the presumption of “cut-backs.”

Before this employee had a chance to repair the damage, the “accidental rip” got out to the public (the children). I have a sense that the “book” represents a magazine as it was thin and was held together with staples. This article is standing out to me:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/11/atlantic.clinton.staff/index.html

In relation to the scriptures, this person I am representing in this dream had put her trust in man, weak man, instead of putting her trust in God. The house of the wicked that God promises to rise against is in connection with this “job” and the “ripping”, I believe. And, it could cover the whole political system/government in the USA. In the dream I was “helping” these people to “rip” these “covers” and v.3 states that he who “helps” will stumble. V. 4 talks about the Lord as a Lion coming up against a band of shepherds which I believe in this context refers to politicians and government leaders. God is not afraid of them. He will judge them.

Going back to the song I can’t help but feel that perhaps this woman depicted in this dream is a “reluctant hero” of sorts who, by “ripping an inside cover” has done the “right thing” even though it cost her her job. I also see the possibility of the “ripping an inside cover” as rejecting idols of silver and gold that our sinful hands have made.

There are a lot of “covers” in the political arena that need to be exposed, some of which are being exposed, as well as this is needed in the church, too and in our own personal lives. God is calling on prospective “heros” to do the right thing.

There is also the possibility that the person I am representing in this dream is not an individual but rather a specific grouping of people like a political party or a nation and that it is in relation to the situation between Russia and Georgia, for Georgia looks to the USA for “help” and we have been helping them but now there is a question about whether we will continue to support them or if we will side with Russia instead.

I believe the Lord will reveal what he intended by this dream in due course. I just continue to pray for discernment and ears to always hear his voice.