This morning, I woke from a dream.
I didn’t remember much—except for one number: 88.
No drama. No symbolism. Just that number—quiet, bold… and gone.
I brushed it off. Just a dream. 개꿈. A nothing dream.
But then came the verse of the day:
“I am like a pelican in the wilderness.” — Psalm 102:7 (NKJV)
Unusual. One of those lines you’d normally skip.
But the devotional lingered.
It spoke of ancient symbols—how the pelican came to mean sorrow, solitude, and sacrifice.
I kept reading.
A Scroll of Affliction
Psalm 102 begins with this line:
“A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord.”
It’s not a hymn. Not a theological essay.
It’s raw. Honest. Wounded.
And suddenly, the birds appear:
“I am like a pelican in the wilderness…
like an owl of the desert…
like a sparrow alone on the housetop.” — Psalm 102:6–7
Three birds.
Each out of place.
Each speaking what words cannot.
And I realized: this isn’t just personal sorrow.
It’s prophetic positioning.
The Birds Are the Bride
These birds were not meant to be alone.
But they were placed there—seen, elevated, awake.
They represent the watchful remnant, the midnight Bride:
• The Pelican in the Wilderness
Made for water—now grounded in dust.
Just like the faithful Bride, walking through a dry land, still carrying oil.
Not all gatherings are Spirit-filled. But the Spirit-filled still gather.
And even in dry places, God speaks.
• The Owl of the Desert
Created for night vision.
This is the Bride who sees what others dismiss—who discerns in the dark.
• The Sparrow on the Housetop
Social by nature, now set apart.
Lifted above the noise, this is the Bride awake while the world sleeps.
Watching. Ready.
Not everyone will understand you.
Not everyone will wait with you.
But your posture matters more than your popularity.
“Lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near.” — Luke 21:28
Jesus Was Lonely Too
Psalm 102 isn’t just David’s cry.
It’s a shadow of Gethsemane and Golgotha.
- “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful…” — Matthew 26:38
- “Could you not watch with Me one hour?” — v.40
- “All the disciples forsook Him…” — Matthew 26:56
- “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” — Matthew 27:46
He wasn’t just abandoned.
He was the Man of Sorrows.
But He didn’t stay in sorrow.
“This will be written for the generation to come,
that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.” — Psalm 102:18
He rose. He reigns. He will return.
And that’s where the psalm turns…
A Prophetic Shift
The second half of Psalm 102 is glory:
“But You, O LORD, shall endure forever…” (v.12)
“You will arise and have mercy on Zion…” (v.13)
“The LORD shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory.” (v.16)
This isn’t symbolic comfort.
This is future fulfillment.
And Hebrews 1 confirms it:
“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth…
They will perish, but You remain.” — Hebrews 1:10–12
The same Jesus who cried in the wilderness
will appear again in majesty.
And What About the Dream?
That number—88—came back to me.
And I finally saw it.
Two eights.
Two layers.
Two meanings.
Just like the psalm.
- First: the voice of loneliness.
- Second: the promise of glory.
- One scroll. One God. Speaking twice.
He’s not just the God of sorrow.
He’s the God of return.
For the One in the Wilderness Today
Whether you are sealed in Christ or still searching for Him—
your ache is not the end.
He sees you.
He hears you.
And He still speaks in the wilderness.
“I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her.” — Hosea 2:14
Loneliness isn’t a sign of failure.
It might be a sign you’re being set apart.
The wilderness isn’t punishment.
It’s preparation.
The world may drift.
But the Bride must stay awake.
So whether you’re pressing in deeper,
or wondering how far you’ve wandered—
This scroll is for you.
Because sometimes, the verse you almost skipped…
is the one that wakes you up.
Arete Gune: The Name on the White Stone 
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