Monday, January 09, 2006

Dreaming sense into my life

We have all had wierd dreams after eating something unsavoury or when we fall asleep with troubled thoughts. Our mind does a good job of jumbling up our fantasy and reality creating a most confusing cacophony of nonsense.
But, have you ever had something going through your mind before going to bed and then had a dream that explained perfectly that which you could not get your head around while awake? Last night I had just such a dream.
I have spent the last two years pastoring a church with systemic problems. After a phone call yesterday from a very active member who is being persecuted by other members. I pondered why this church was so cruel to itself. Visitors love the place. New members abound. But, the tried & true have become tired & rude. Sanctification is yesterday's word (or maybe tomorrows) but today's word is Judgement.
Anyway... I received the call while walking on a pristine beach in Stanely, Tasmania with my family. I prayed for the wonderful Christian who had just called is dire distressed. I thought about the church until I went to bed. I tossed and turned all night - not the first sleepless night in the last two years! And then, at about 4am I woke from the above mentioned dream, uttered a prayerful "Thank-you!" And fell peacefully asleep.
The dream...
A house is burning. The flames are just starting to lick out the windows. A fire truck arrives and begins to quench the fire. Then another fire truck arrives. They too shoot cool water into the flames. As the third truck arrives, one of the men on the first truck takes his jetstream of water off the flames and aims at a fireman on truck 2. He is blasted off the truck. Truck 3, after just starting on the fire, is attacked by truck 1 as well. Soon all the men are busily knocking firemen off trucks. The dream ended as the smouldering embers of the house extinguished themselves when no fuel remained. The house was destroyed. But, the firemen continued their fight.
I awoke and understood. I uttered a "thank-you" for clarity.
And I slept in peace.

Dave Edgren ~ Story: Teller, Author, Trainer ~

BOOK DAVE NOW! Dave Edgren is passionate about creating a values-based storytelling culture. In his engaging and often hilarious way,...