I don't dream too much these days but when I do it's usually something weird and hard to understand. But then there are those dreams, like the one I had early Sunday morning, that make us wonder. Is there something that God wants us to do?
Remember the Old Testament story of Daniel and about how King Nebuchadnezzar wanted to have one of his dreams interpreted? No one could do it. No one except Daniel that is. And God. I could use a Daniel.
Normally I just forget about my dreams. That's their nature anyway I think. They disappear from us like a mist in the evening. But some linger, longing to be remembered. Interpreted. Why is that? Where do those dreams come from? And what do they say about us? What do they say about God?
The following are the contents of my dream. Disjointed to be sure, yet somehow perfectly cohesive. The dream was in black and white. Not that that means anything. That's just the way it was.
I was walking in a steel parking structure, going someplace, when I saw a young lady. She was familiar to me. A youth group kid. We talked for a bit and then we parted company.
Now, down on the lower level of the parking ramp, I was feeling good having seen my young friend. She was happy and so was I, so, for some reason, I was hopping from curb to curb, clicking my heals as I went (I told you it was weird), when I noticed an older man looking at me. I didn't really notice his face. He made some remark, wondering why I was feeling so good. I replied with an embarrassing grin but kept walking.
Then I saw another young lady. She had black hair and resembled another kid from my youth group days. We talked briefly but then suddenly I was in a youth group setting. Somewhere in the past it seemed. It was night time and I was talking with a kid about Jesus. Then, as we were about to pray for this kid, I was back in that circle with my young friend. We were standing in a circle in the parking ramp.
Suddenly I remembered the old man. I felt as if I should have prayed with him so I waved goodbye to my friend and went to find the old man.
That's when I woke up. Just when I was getting to the good part! Isn't that how most of our dreams seem to end?
So, what does all that mean? It's interesting, especially when I remembered actually seeing both of those young friends recently. But who was the old man?
Last week a friend of mine called and asked if I could meet with someone - an older man named. Perhaps that's why the old man in my dream didn't really have a recognizable face. I haven't met him yet.
So what does this dream mean? What am I supposed to do? Well, I'm not sure but I'll tell you what I did.
I sent my one young friend a message, reminding her of God's grace and asking if there was anything I could pray for. I plan on writing a letter to my other young friend. I then made an effort to get in contact with the older man so that we could actually meet and talk and hopefully pray.
"Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”
Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.”
The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”
Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries." - Daniel 2:24-28
I don't know where this dream actually came from. Do I really need to? The point is did I show the people in my dream the love of Christ? Did I offer to pray for them? WITH them? Is there someone in YOUR life who needs prayer? Have you talked with them? Or have you just walked on by like I did with the old man?
Please join me in praying for my friends in the dream. And then pray for ALL those in need of prayer. Like Daniel told Arioch, only God can interpret dreams. Our job is to follow the teachings of Jesus - to love, to show mercy and compassion, and to remember. Remember what John Bradford said in the 16th century - "There, but for the grace of God, go I."
Remember - Harry Nilsson
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