Writing Down the Dream

Today's Reading: Daniel 7-9

In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream.... Daniel 7:1 NRSV

Have you ever kept track of your dreams?

The best way to do it is to keep a notebook and pen right by your bedside. When you wake up from a dream, quickly write down what you remember. Even if you only wake up when the alarm goes off, if you begin to do this on a regular basis you will recall more and more of your dreams and will begin waking after each dream cycle. You will also have more "control" over what happens in your dreams.

Obviously, keeping track of dreams is not a modern thought!

Daniel writes down his dream or vision. I would imagine that he has been doing this for some time. The biggest difference is that his dreams seem to come directly from God. The visions that Daniel has are messages about what God is going to do in the world and many of them are quite horrific. In his dreams, Daniel has an angel guide to help with the interpretation.

 For many of us, we have no one to help guide us or provide interpretation. We must do what we can to figure out what our dreams are trying to say and where God has sent any kind of message to us. Yet, dreams can be invaluable ways of listening to God; God does have our undivided attention when we sleep!

God, thank you for dreams. Help us to know when you speak to us in our dreams. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims

Doing As God Asks

When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife. Matthew 1: 24 NRSV

How many of us could receive a message from God in our sleep and immediately wake to do as God has asked?

I suppose there are two parts to that question: How many of us are paying attention to God's messages in our dreams and how willing are we to act on what God imparts to us?

Joseph - like his namesake in Genesis - is very cognizant of his dreams. Perhaps this is not the first time God has spoken to him. It could be that Joseph was very disciplined in carrying out what God instructed him through dreams. And even though this is a life-altering decision, Joseph does not hesitate to carry out the instruction of the angel of the Lord.

I wonder if the choice of God's parents had as much to do with Joseph as it did with Mary.

God, you speak to us in many ways including our dreams. May we not dismiss our dreams as either neurons firing in our sleep or food for psychological analysis; may we listen for your voice instead.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims

A Barren Christmas

Both of them were rigteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years. Luke 1: 6-7 NRSV

There is such  an emphasis on children during this season - much of which actually has little to do with the baby in the manger.

Yet, the gospel of Luke begins with the story of a barren woman.

I know several women who are barren. I know of a few more who have suffered the loss of a baby just before or right after birth. I know that this time of year is difficult for them. There are a lot of what-ifs. And a lot of I wonder whys. They have a lot in common with Elizabeth and Zechariah.

In fact, if you have never had a time where you considered yourself barren, there is no way for you to really enter into what was going on in the minds of Zechariah or Elizabeth. They were holy people, righteous before the Lord. They had done all they were supposed to do, yet they had no children. In those days, the blame was usually placed on the mother - in fact the gospel says that Elizabeth herself was the barren one. But both suffered from some sort of public humiliation - there would always be someone out there who would think that they had sinned or fallen short in some way.

Were they still praying for children? Had they given up hope and accepted the life they had? Did they have dreams for their family that they had finally laid to rest?

God enters into their story. God enters into the story of all women who are barren. Maybe they are not to give birth to a child but God promises an everlasting hope and an eternal dream.

God, please be with those who face an empty cradle this Christmas. Fill them with your hope, comfort and courage. Help us to be supportive and sensitive to where they are without being judgmental. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Question of the day: Who do you know who needs hopeful encouragement today?

Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims