Dangerous Dreams

I had a weird dream last night. This morning I found myself trying to figure out what it meant. Based on clues from my dream I have come to the conclusion that I should not go swimming if the door to the pool leads to a skinny ledge hundreds of feet above the ground.

Joseph could interpret dreams. He did so quite easily - with God's help. He once interpreted a dream for pharaoh that featured healthy cows being devoured by ugly skinny ones. Here's what Joseph told Pharaoh.

“It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land." - Genesis 41:28-30

Of course! Why didn't the pharaoh think of that!!

In my dream, I was with a friend - a friend who is struggling in real life. In my dream we decided we would go for a swim. There were many people in the pool. Too many for my friend. All were having fun and enjoying themselves. Something we were hoping to do.

There was a door at the far end of the pool which led to an outdoor pool so we decided to go there. But as soon as we stepped out of the door we were on a narrow ledge that sloped downward. Someone was walking ahead of us and, when they reached the end of the ledge, they climbed down and out of sight.

I started climbing down that same ladder but my friend would have none of it and went back inside. That is where my dream ended.

Several people in my life are struggling right now. Some have a drug or alcohol problem, others have lost a loved one or lost a job. All are afraid of what lies ahead for them in one way or another. Many are afraid to take the steps required to make it to "the pool" - their desired destination. However, God did not give us a spirit of fear.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." - 2 Timothy 1:7

So, how do I get my friend to the pool? The answer is simple. I don't. Only God can do that. My job it two-fold - to walk along with them and to pray.

Who in your life needs a walking partner today? What are they afraid of? Are we as Christians willing to walk with them and encourage them and pray with them, and for them? If not, our dreams, and theirs, will become nightmares of what could have been.

Dreams - Van Halen