Dream On

"..an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream..." Matthew 1:20

Do you remember your dreams? My wife does, usually--in great detail. Me--not so much. What do those dreams mean? Is our unconscious trying to say something to our conscious mind? Researchers say yes--but the meaning is up for interpretation. There's whole books on the subject.

Does God communicate with us through dreams? I'm of the opinion not. Mainly because in this day, God seems to speak only through means--prayer, study of his word, discernment of the faith community. Does that mean a dream couldn't be interpreted theologically? That, I believe is false--dreams can tell us something about God, or God's plan for us. I feel that comes from the unconscious mind working out the information and situations and knowledge of God presented it through the conscious mind. (of course, I'm a pastor, not a doctor)

So, Joseph's dream--was it the workings of an anxious mind, the direct manifestation of God's angel, or a bit of what he ate before bed? I believe it was God's direct intervention, but I don't think it matters. Joseph took it to be from God, and he did as God asked. That's the main point.

God of slumber and dreams, in this season of dreaming of sugarplums, let us be open to what our dreams might be telling us about you.
Amen