There are several reasons why I can't believe the account describes reality. Among them: - Why would a sister appear as a child and not as an adult? Indeed, why would there be so many children present in the first place? [Answer: because the vision was given to a young child!] - In our current state, no one can see God and live - yet the child claims to have seen God the Father. How can this be? [Answer: because God the Father was presented as a "very big person" and hence, to a child, the most important person present.] I would make several other observations, but let me not list them all here. Again, I don't question the veracity of what happened, but I would say it's a vision, a picture, intended to comfort a young child and his family. Did you ever see that movie with Jodie Foster (was it 'Contact'?) where her character interacted with advanced life forms? That race spoke to her through "her father" because that's someone she had known and loved. Same thing, really. When communicating with a child, use images that a child understands. I agree, although I'd say timeless rather than a specific age. When my mother passed away and I was sitting on a plane to London prior to take off, a brief image of my mother suddenly appeared for a few seconds in my mind. She was young and her face was shining and very symmetric; her eyes were incredibly intense and spoke volumes. I'd never seen her like that before, even though it was obviously her, and I can't help but feel that this image was ab example of that timeless appearance. Exactly. God reaches us where we are and in a very personal way. The pictures reach us in ways that, in our current physical world, we can understand. Reality, for now, is beyond our comprehension. Maybe now you can see why, as a scientist, I have no problem at all blending the latest theories and discoveries with the stories handed down to us in the Bible. Those stories are timeless and tell every generation the essential points. That doesn't mean, though, that we shouldn't enjoy the adventure of filling in the scientific details. We have nothing to be afraid of.
I think that God can reach us in many ways. The Holy Spirit dwells within believers and can at any time draw us closer to God to the Glory of Christ Jesus. Dreams, why not. Dreams, sermons, songs, we can be brought closer to him at any time. Re: Memories, they can only be bad is there is forgiveness lacking or a inability to accept. OF course this is almost inhuman in that is requires perfection expecially in the realm of emotion, but when we get to heaven, we will be perfected. When a child is searching for something or seeking an answer to life's challenges, sometimes all we can do as a parent is reach out and encourage, and pray they have recieve the wisdom and strength to get through it all. If we train up that child in the word of the Lord, they will not stray from it later.
No, you are right, God can't do ANYTHING if it's not in his character. Of course he cannot lie. But if he wants to use a dream to reach me, he will. I don't think that's against his character at all.. As far as that sermon goes, the whole time he was preaching it, I kept thinking "but that's hell, not heaven". But the rich man was conversing with someone in heaven.. Gosh, sometimes I think we twist things and make them fit where we want them.. (((sigh))) I'm just gonna have to throw my hands up and say this is something I'll figure out when I get to heaven. LOL!
