About Dreams
“I saw a dream that frightened me; my fantasies in bed and the visions of my head terrified me.”
We all have dreams. Some are strange or frightening. Others are funny. Unless we are experts at interpreting them, dreams usually mean little to us.
For the people of Bible times, as well as for many of our contemporaries, dreams held a message. To certain people God has given the skill of interpretation. We remember Joseph’s gift which saved the Egyptians and the Israelites from famine. The prophets often had dreams or visions which they shared with God’s people. Daniel was also an interpreter of dreams.
Some dreams are given by God to affect the life of individuals. Jacob’s dream of the ladder or Joseph’s dream of God’s warning the escape to Egypt with the child, Jesus, are examples. Dreams and visions are similar ways of demonstrating God’s will and purpose.
Nebuchadnezzar was a contented man until he had this disturbing dream. His wise men were once again unable to explain it. Daniel was called to the palace for the second time as interpreter. This time the message was unpleasant.
For Reflection: About what do I dream? Is God in my dreams?
A Prayer Seed:
Be Thou my vision, O lord of my heart;
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art-
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Ancient Irish poem, trans. Mary E. Byrne, 1905
