Daily devotion: Dream On - Genesis 28:12

Genesis 28:12             Jacob had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 

            I had a dream last night that troubled me. It was a mixture of the past, present, and future. When I look back on it this morning, I realize that there were many symbols in the dream of what I care about most. I won’t go into details because I’m still pondering over what it means, but it has left me unsettled.

            I’m no interpreter of dreams, but I know that they have a way of bringing our hopes and fears to the surface. I can still remember a few dreams from childhood that terrified me, as well as a couple of dreams from adolescence that solidified my faith in God. Even although it has been decades since those dreams occurred, they are still with me, which mystifies me at times. Why would something that didn’t really happen still stay within my heart and mind?

            Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28:10-15 was amazing. He was on the run from his brother who wanted to murder him and from his father who would have cursed him. He didn’t have a place to call home and no doubt he was carrying a lot of fears and troubles within him. We can only guess how those traumatic circumstances affected his faith in God. He was at the lowest point in his long life. If ever he needed a sign or a symbol of reassurance, then this was the time that God had to show Jacob that He was real.

            So Jacob dreamt of a stairway to heaven with angels ascending and descending upon it. He was apparently at the mystical point where Heaven and Earth actually meet. And then he heard the great voice of God confirming the covenant that had been made with his father and grandfather. God was personally reassuring Jacob that his life had a purpose and that the LORD’s promises would be fulfilled through this runaway. It was the most important crossroads in Jacob’s life. From that point on, he personally knew that God was always with him.

            I believe that God still speaks to us in dreams, simply because the world cannot interfere or cause distractions in the middle of them. I firmly believe that God also takes a deep personal interest in each of our lives, so that when we ask Him for guidance, assurance, and a calling, He will listen to our hearts and speak to us in our dreams. Perhaps, in the midst of all of the pressures, stresses, and troubles that we presently endure, the best advice may just be this: sleep on it.

Questions for personal reflection

When and how do I hear God speaking to my heart and mind? Do I really listen to what He is saying to me?

Prayer:            Lord God, through the blessing of Your Son Jesus Christ, we know that You are with us each day until the fullness of our lives and the end of all Time. Speak to our hearts and minds this day and help us to actually hear Your voice. Give us a calling of our hearts and a mission of Christ’s work. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest sunflower drawings. It’s called “Garden Glory.” A larger version can be viewed at the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8281/7607009436_906976cd09_b.jpg

Bible Devotions: Expecting the Unexpected - Revelation 8:5

Revelation 8:5             Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

This week’s earthquake in Virginia took a lot of people by surprise. People felt high buildings shake and thought it was another terrorist attack. The Washington Monument cracked and was shut down. The National Cathedral in DC suffered millions of dollars of damage. It was completely unexpected and lots of people were left frightened and stunned.

Records, however, show that earthquakes have taken in this region before. In fact, if you look at a map and check out the North Eastern seaboard terrain, you soon realize that earthquakes have been happening in this region for millions of years. Everyone was caught by surprise this week because of a false notion that large earthquakes take place on the West Coast and not the Eastern Seaboard. We have fooled ourselves into believing that the whole region was off limits to substantial seismological activity.

We are good at deluding ourselves biblically too. Take some of the passages in Revelation. We hardly ever think about them and cast them aside as ancient mythology. We reckon that it’s been almost 2000 years since the apocalyptic prophecies were written, so why do we need to bother about them now?

However, we also casually forget that we are almost 2000 years nearer to the day when these events will occur. Just like the “unexpected” earthquake in Virginia, the Lord will return one day and angels will hurl hail and fire which will burn up a third of the Earth. Will we look at one another in deep shock and surprise if it happens in our lifetime? Will we sadly remember that this “unexpected” return was not so unexpected after all? Will we continually live our lives as if these cataclysmic events will happen only after we’re dead and gone?

If we honestly think about it, everyday has the potential of being our last day on Earth. The serious question that we need to ask ourselves is this: will it also be our first day in Christ’s Everlasting Kingdom? The gift of free will still applies, so the choice of where we end up eternally is still ours to make on this side of Life.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, prevent us from fooling ourselves about Your Second Coming. Keep us aware and alert to the signs of the times and the Biblical warnings that You have given to us. Help us to stay focused on our faith in You and enable to attract our loved ones to You before it is too late. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask questions, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image John’s simple stained glass design of Christ’s Return. It’s called “A New Earth.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3084/2432537217_e82364bff8_b.jpg