A few of us teachers were talking about dreams during a meal the other day. Some pretty cool stories were told, so I shared something that happened several years ago.
My family was in Chattanooga and spent the night at Susan’s mom’s house planning to attend the church where Susan grew up the next morning. I woke up that Sunday morning with a vivid dream still in mind, but didn’t say anything to Susan about it. In Bible class, I listened to the lesson with the strangest feeling of déjà vu. Finally it hit me… the lesson, in fact, the entire class was a replay of my dream the night before. Amazed and a bit perplexed, I leaned over to Susan and whispered, “I dreamed this exact thing last night.” She glanced at me with a puzzled look and we both continued to listen as the topic of God communicating with his people was discussed. I probably would have remained silent had not an old friend sitting in the back of the classroom raised his hand to make a comment. “I hear there are people down in Atlanta who say that God speaks to them.”
These are the testing moments. As far as I knew, Susan and I were the only visitors from Atlanta that morning. I had been sitting through the whole class wondering what to make of a re-run of a dream. With a little hesitation I raised my hand and the teacher called on me. “I’m not saying this because I live in Atlanta, but I want to share that God does speak to his children today; at least He wants to. Just last night I had a dream of what has been discussed in this class. I think God was communicating to me… why… I’m not exactly sure, but I think there must be a thousand ways He speaks to us.”
Of course, as a visitor, I felt quite awkward sharing this, but I felt even more awkward for the teacher who didn’t really know how to reply. A person sitting in front of us, an old friend of Susan’s, chimed in and said, “It’s true! I heard Dana whisper this to Susan a few minutes ago.” Thankfully, a bell rang at that very moment and the class was dismissed.
The most remarkable part of the morning was the number of people who came up to me and Susan after class. No one wanted to argue. Some had similar stories and all seemed to have a tender expression of gratitude that our God cares enough about us to communicate. One sister had tears in her eyes. “What is man that you are mindful of him?” the psalmist wrote and we ask the same question today. Why does the Creator of the universe care enough about me and my family to share his heart or give direction? This love of the Father holds us close and reaches out to a hurting world.
But this love also requires warning. Jesus said there will be little difference when He returns from when God destroyed the earth with a flood. That generation heeded no warning, though Peter called Noah a ‘preacher of righteousness.’ In a day when it is so easy to be consumed with the stock market or weather reports or political debate or athletic standings, Jesus says, “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.” May we keep our eyes on the Savior and our ears open to his voice. “Watch and pray.”
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:15, 21