Today’s Reading: Acts 2:16-18 (NIV)
[Peter said,] 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”
Good morning!
Every time I visit my mother, I listen to her recount the dreams she has had in the past few days. She is quite the dreamer! Most of her dreams seem silly to her, and some make no sense at all. And yet, she dreams every night without fail. I told her she should pop popcorn before she goes to bed, so she can enjoy a snack during tonight’s featured presentation!
Do you dream at night? I’ve had “falling” dreams since I was a little kid. They wake you up with a start. Your body jerks and all of a sudden you are wide awake, feeling like you have been running in circles all night long. Falling dreams at night often make me tired the next day and wishing for a cat nap in the middle of the afternoon.
Most of the dreams I dream are a lot like my mother’s dreams – really strange and seemingly meaningless. A few years ago, I began hearing passages of Scripture in my dreams. It was as if I was sitting there in church, listening to a Sunday morning sermon in my pajamas. Unlike the mini-dreams that we vaguely remember the next day, I could recall the Scripture passage and the message when I woke up. My husband Jeff encouraged me to write down what I remembered from the Scripture dreams. He reminded me that God speaks to people in their dreams, just as Peter repeated the prophetic words of Joel to the men on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit fell down.
We live extremely busy lives. Many are up and at it from before the crack of dawn and work way past the midnight hour. God speaks to us in our rim cycle, when we have finally let go of all physical exertion and allow our bodies and minds to fully rest. I think this is why the Lord allows me to hear Scripture as I sleep. I love how His Word speaks, especially in the stillness of the night, when I have stopped talking and can truly listen to His still, small voice.
God gives the gift of dreaming dreams to all who draw near to Him in faith. If you are hearing Scripture in your sleep, take the advice of my husband and write it down. God’s Word is life-changing. God’s Word is new life!
Enjoy the Father’s feature presentation tonight. And remember to pop some popcorn before you go to sleep.
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO
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