Saturday 18 March 2023

Outside, a sound comes to me: I hear drumming, drumbeats in the air. Snare drums, marching drums, a rhythmic drumming. Then in accompaniment, in harmony with the snare drums, there is a higher note, a staccato riff to match, and then there are horns!

No, wait! Those are shofars blowing!

Before I can finish the question “What is this, Lord?” you tell me:

            This is a call to arms, a beat to quarters, a gathering of my armies.

And indeed it is, for immediately I have a vision of vast numbers of warriors rising, breaking camp, getting armored, moving out.

I find myself at Judith’s tent – where I have seen here before (but asked for confirmation), her healing and recovery space. She looks over my armor, and I help to cinch up her leather undercoat beneath her breastplate.

The drumming is loud, heard and felt everywhere, rhythmic, hypnotic, even as the drummers seem to be moving, leading to some gathering place.

We exchange an embrace, a kiss of peace, touch hands, and then all is serious. She is preparing to mount her horse, which has been tacked and is standing nearby, ready. I hear the jingling of tack and buckles. Tents, encampments are all being gathered, packed, stowed away. I can smell leather and horses, dust and smoke.

There are a few words between us, knowing that we may be far apart and not see one another for a time. She mounts, rides off with a large contingent of horse soldiers. I fall into the company of people marching together, keeping time to the drums and horns. Everywhere there is singing and praises rising as we move together. Where are we going, Lord?

There is brilliant light ahead, over a small rise, and then there is a view of a large green valley with a winding river. The word “Rhineland” comes into my spirit. Lord, I wait for your confirmation.

Are we moving to fight? I can see we’re gathering in huge numbers.

I hear myself praying: “Show me more, Lord, let me see and hear more. Move me, Father, in the physical as I easily as in the spirit.”