[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during June 2023]
In 1595 William Shakespeare wrote his play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. It is said to be one of his most popular plays, possibly due to the potential liberality of its interpretation. In contrast to the discipline of his historical works, this play is an amalgam of five interwoven storylines that can become somewhat confusing.
Do your dreams confuse you? Do you ever have the type of dream that, when you awake, you regret that what you have seen is not true? What provoked those delightful images that now cannot be recaptured? On the other hand, what about those nightmares where waking up comes as a blessed relief, an escape from an horrific experience?
It is said that we cannot control our dreams, but is that true? Increasingly, psychologists are finding that there are ways of influencing our dreams; the most significant factor being those things that occupy our minds before we sleep.[1] Do you like to catch a midnight movie? What you see may linger subconsciously and reappear in your dreams. Are you suffering from sleeplessness? An online sermon would be a better cure for insomnia.
Dreams feature in Matthew’s account of the nativity. Had the Magi sensed something in Herod’s attitude that was preying on their minds? Had Joseph heard something through the grapevine that was causing him to worry about his family? Be that as it may, it is clear that God used those dreams to to instruct the Magi and Joseph about their next moves.
Dreams are much more prevalent in the Old Testament rather than the New. On Sunday morning we were reminded about Joseph and Daniel who are two examples of men who were familiar with God-given dreams, both their own and those of other people. To what extent can we treat dreams as messages from God? We now have many more resources including the written Bible, the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the accumulated experience of the wider Christian community. How do our dreams measure up against them? Has the age of prophetic dreams passed?
Our minds are often so preoccupied with the busy-ness of day-to-day living that God can’t get through. Do we make time and space for him? Maybe we need a wake-up call.
In Genesis we read of how Isaac went out during the evening into a quiet place to meditate. For him it resulted in a dream come true.[2] For us, it is an example that we would do well to emulate.
Resources:
[1] https://www.wikihow.com/Influence-Your-Dreams
[2] Genesis 24 v63-67
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © the Author
I would agree that late night viewing can lead to ideas which can easily enter into our subconscious thoughts and may become part of our dreams or nightmares. Therefore I try to avoid some programs which are listed on various channels.
Reading a portion of scripture at night has been helpful to me.
Hi Steve,
God still, from time to time, speaks people in dreams.
Ruth
Ruth then added an example of a more personal nature which has been withheld from the public forum.