These days, I do at least one load of laundry, sometimes more, almost every day, except Sunday.

I am currently too frail to cope with fewer, larger loads of laundry.

I find it difficult to move around at home too, so I can’t have a big basket of dirty things, in case I fall over it.

A clean Laundry Basket is also too much to carry just now, so I carefully take out items from the machine, one by one, and I make repeated trips up and down the narrow staircase, trying hard not to drop the laundered item or bump into walls or furniture along the way.

I used to use the time to sing or speak in tongues, but I have become too breathless to do even that.

It is an arduous and somewhat lonely process.  I try not to be resentful of how much of my energy and time it uses up.

For a few weeks now, though, I have started sometimes seeing in The Spirit a quite different scene.

I am still trudging up and down stairs, but instead of a narrow staircase at home, it is a much wider and more formal staircase, in a large open hallway, like in a city hall or municipal building.

On the upper floor is a large, rather grand set of double doors.  There are other, single doorways to the right and left.

Sometimes I don’t see the laundry either, but instead I am either carrying piles of paperwork or even, a few times, wide shallow bowls full of something that I have to be careful with, in case I spill it.

I am struggling to carry any of it and frequently pause to catch my breath.  Even then I have to careful so I don’t drop anything.

I try not to cry, but I feel exhausted, physically, mentally and emotionally.

All this trudging, up and down, up and down, with no end in sight.

It is hard not to despair.

There is another, staircase, far off to my left. It is less business-like and more elegant, with a balustrade and carved hand rail.

Other people go up and down those stairs easily, without a care in the world.

It is hard not to envy them.

It is all rather difficult.  I try not to think about it too much, but I stick determinedly to this routine that I alone seem to have to tread.

I hear laughter and talking as a group of people come to the other staircase and start to walk down together.

In the Spirit though I see myself going on my way up once again, pausing for breath, aching and doubled over in pain, clutching onto files of paperwork.

I am gasping for breath like a small animal in a heatwave, trying so very hard not to let the tears in my eyes fall.

Suddenly I hear a male voice ring out across the big hallway.  It comes, loud and clear and kindly, from that other set of stairs:   “Ne désespérez pas, L’Espérance!”  

Other voices join in, saying the same thing and then I hear clapping and cheering, rhythmically stamping feet and a chant starting:  “L’Espérance! L’Espérance!”

It is all so loud, it is like a roar.

I look up, and there is now a big crowd on that other staircase.  People from different nations and backgrounds, wearing all sorts of different clothes.

“Ne désespérez pas, L’Espérance!”  would typically be translated from French as, “Do not despair, Hope!“

They are not just calling me Hope, for no reason.  To them I am the Hope of the Kingdom.

I wearily call out back to them, “I am so sorry, everyone. I am such a disappointment to you all.  I am so very tired.  I have nothing left in the tank.  I can’t keep going on like this.  I am not Hope Himself.  I am not His Kingdom.  What can I do?  I am just called the hope of the Kingdom.”

The first voice I heard replies,

“But The Hope, My Hope, will never disappoint Me.

My Love has been poured out into your heart by My Holy Spirit, Who is upon you for My Glory.

My Presence is with you!  My Hand is upon you!”

I lift up my head, straighten my back and carry on up the stairs.

Interpretation and Word

The LORD has given me interpretation and a Word to go with this.

He explained to me that the first voice I heard is that of Jesus.

We are seated with Jesus in the Heavenly realms and co-heirs with Him, so we carry hope to the nations as He Himself is Lord of Hope.

The crowd on the stairs is the great cloud of witnesses.

The use of French language shows the many generations and people groups already gathered and it points the way to the greater gathering and unity among believers that is to come.

The paperwork I carry represents working for Kingdom purposes.  The Bowls are ‘Worship‘ and ‘Praise‘, but also ‘Healing‘ and ‘Anointing‘.

The big double doors lead to The Throne Room.

The LORD says,  “You are My workmanship, created by Me for such a time as this.

You are My Message of hope to The Nations.

I AM Hope, and in Me you are The Hope Of The Kingdom.

I have Anointed you for this very hour.

Do not despair, My precious ones.  Your tears are not unnoticed.  Your trials will not be without reward.

You are my finely crafted arrows.  The time for your release is close at hand.

Don’t despair!  Your time is coming!

Do not give up now.  The finish line is in sight and you will cross it in style.  I AM with you.

Heaven has released a roar over you and through you.  A sound that will not be silenced or defeated.

All of Heaven is cheering you on!

Strengthen your weary hearts and bodies and get your roar on!”

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”   Ephesians 2:10.

“And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword;  in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver He has hidden Me.”   Isaiah 49:2.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”   Romans 5:1-5.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”   Hebrews 12:1-2.

 

~ Iris Maud, UK.

---

Iris Maud, UK.

Back to Top