One of my favorite TV series is “Colombo.” Even as a child, I enjoyed watching it. I still do. Did you know that Johnny Cash was a guest star/murder in the 1974 episode: “Swan Song?” In it, he portrayed a popular gospel singer who murdered his wife and another woman. “I Saw the Light,” was the main song he sung during the show. While I do like the song, I have a rather strange connection to it thanks to a childhood memory.
I don’t know how old I was exactly when this happened to me. All I can say is that I was very young. I remember waking up in the den of my grandparents’ house. It was adjacent to the kitchen. When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the brightness of the kitchen light. Also, I could hear the voices of my mom, Mamaw Jo, and Mamaw Gyrtle/Myrtle as they were cooking. That’s when I realized I was by myself and the room was very dark. I took in a deep breath to cry, but that never happened. At that moment, I knew there was something in the room with me. Even though I couldn’t see it, I had no fear. None. Somehow, I knew it was something very good and it wouldn’t harm me. As it moved closer to me, I felt a comfort that I couldn’t put into words at the time. I dozed back off into a peaceful sleep.
Over the years since, I have carried that memory with me. That being said, I didn’t tell anybody about it until I was an adult. Not even my parents. You see, it was very personal to me and I didn’t think anybody would understand or appreciate my story. Instead, I knew some would try to convince me that it was a dream. But I had no doubt what so ever that it really happened. To this day, I can still recall it in vivid detail. Also, I knew others would suggest I experienced a ghost. They would be partly correct. You see, it wasn’t a ghost of a human.
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26 (KJV)
I was in a bible study a few years ago when we discussed The Holy Ghost being a comforter. My dream came back to me. I had such comfort because I was visited by the Holy Ghost. That explains why I knew it was good and I had such comfort and peace. Then I got to thinking about it and I began to realize there was even more to it. As in the song, I saw the light. Literally. The kitchen light was so brilliant to me because I was in darkness. Isn’t that the way it is for all of us? We don’t realize just how lost we are in the darkness of sin until we see the light of Jesus. Then I felt His presence. I believe He makes Himself known to all of us. It’s our choice to recognize Him or not. As for the comfort, there are times we welcome it and times we don’t. Honestly, there have instances over the year where I didn’t feel worthy of His comfort, but in all fairness, who is? That’s why it’s called The Grace of God.
Now I have a new appreciation of my experience and I enjoy sharing it. I have to wonder if that is what The Lord had in mind when it happened. I bet He thought: “She’ll be writing about this one day.”