Today’s scripture: Genesis 28:10-22 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Brent Walsh):
Have you ever told someone a dream you had, and they looked at you like you were crazy?
My wife Julie recently told me that she dreamed she was teaching country line dancing, and that our pastor, Jeff Miner, was her only student. As they were boot-scootin’ through the moves, her dream changed, and they were suddenly dancing on the back of a flatbed truck, which I was driving very fast on the interstate. Then it shifted again, and I was driving in downtown Indianapolis, and each time we would stop at a red light, pedestrians would climb onto the truck and start dancing with them. The flatbed became so crowded that Julie was afraid she would fall off, so she was just about to abandon the crowd when she woke up.
Dreams are funny things. Many times, they are just silly and nonsensical. In some cases, though, they are said to be prophetic. Some insist that your dreams have no meaning whatsoever. Others say that your dreams are a reflection of something you’re worried about, consciously or subconsciously. Regardless of the reason you dream, there is no denying that sometimes a dream can impact your life deeply.
I knew a woman once who confided that she dreamed she was involved in a racial hate crime. When she woke up, she was so disturbed that she made an appointment with her psychologist to explore whether she had suppressed feelings of resentment toward certain groups of people. Another person I once knew said that he loved going to sleep because in his dreams he often visited different countries or had fancy dinners with celebrities and foreign dignitaries! Dreams can delight us, terrify us, confuse us, or inspire us. Dreams are funny things.
We read today about Jacob’s dream of the ladder stretching from earth to Heaven. The Lord is standing at the top of the ladder, and God tells Jacob that God will watch over him on the journey he is on and bless him and his many descendants all the days of his life. When Jacob wakes up, he remembers his dream and is greatly affected. He didn’t take it lightly and pass it off as the pizza he had the night before. In fact, he was so touched that he built an altar and made a vow to follow God.
Has this ever happened to you? Have you had a dream where you felt God was talking directly to you? Maybe you saw yourself in a different place and time, doing what you feel God has planned for you. Maybe it’s something you have always known you wanted to do; or maybe it’s something you never imagined ever doing. If you still remember a dream you had, and it still has an effect on you, maybe you should explore the reasons you had that dream. Maybe this is God’s way of showing you the plan for your life. Or maybe you already know where you’re supposed to be, and God is using your dream to reassure you that God will bless you and watch over you as you pursue that path.
Thought for the day: Am I open to whatever way God might choose to speak to me?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.