Dreams

I know in my life I have had some crazy dreams.  I imagine most of you have too.  Many times dreams include elements from the previous day, like a restaurant where you ate, for example.  Other times dreams seem to contain only bizarre elements, leaving you with a "where did that come from" type feeling.  Dreams can produce powerful emotional and physical responses.  We can wake up sweating, scared, or even laughing.  Some dreams fill us with hope that they might come true, others fill us with dread for the same reason. 

God speaks to people in dreams, and God might be speaking to you in yours.  In Genesis, the book of beginnings, we see God speak to several people this way.  This group includes both Joseph, a servant of God, and Abimelech, the heathen king of Gerar.  God showed Joseph the future, and God warned Abimelech not to mess with Abraham's wife.  God's use of dreams continues through the Bible, and includes Paul having a night vision where God directs him to go preach in Macedonia.  These are examples from both the Old and New Testaments, good people and bad, indicating that regardless of "believer status" or Christian acceptance, God speaks to people in dreams.

Indeed, in the Book of Joel God said, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions."  The Apostle Peter affirmed that we are now in that time during his speech in Acts 2. 

So have you ever considered the potential Divine significance of your dreams?  Do you wake up thinking they are wild and completely unrelated to what has recently occurred in your life?  This might be a dream from God.  I remember my first dream from God; it came the night after a week of partying in the Bahamas for spring break.  I won't bore you with the details, but God basically said I had so messed up my mind that I couldn't even perceive reality anymore.  That dream got my attention.  (Unfortunately it would be three more years before I became a committed Christian.)

So I encourage you to pay attention to your dreams.  Even if you currently have no relationship with Him, God still might send you dreams.  He might want to show you His love and possibilities for your life.  Or, as in my case, He may want to correct and warn you.  If you are already a Christian, look to your dreams for potential correction and direction from God.  Write them down and pray about them. 

I believe God wants to use this time of sleep, time away from work, TV, other people, and other distractions, to teach us and show us important things for our lives.  If you like you can also read another Bible study I wrote, "Do You Dream."  Most importantly, I pray you hear His voice more clearly every day, whatever way you can.  God bless you.