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Mitch Todd About Mitch

Dream a Little Dream

"They said to him, ‘We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.’ And Joseph said to them, ‘Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.’" —Genesis 40.8

What a week it's been. First, I totally forgot to study for any of my Tuesday/Thursday classes. I couldn't even remember what I was signed up for! Then, I seriously contemplated a shot at super stardom in the music industry. And just a couple days ago, my brother and I went a hundred years into the future to fight zombies. I should be exhausted! I'd say I need to get some rest... but all those things happened while I was sleeping.

I'm a dreamer. Are you? Actually, everybody dreams, but not everybody remembers what they dream. Even animals dream—I love to watch my dog chasing rabbits in his sleep—it's so cute! As for me? I remember my dreams most every night. Thankfully, I don't have many nightmares. Most of my dreams are like little mini-adventures. I wake up feeling like I've been watching the "Me" channel all night.

There's a big debate that rages when it comes to dreams: Do they have any meaning? You can find hundreds of books and dozens of websites that claim to help you decode the symbolism of your dreams, but some scientists believe dreams are meaningless... just random images as the brain moves into sleep mode—like a screensaver for the brain.

Personally, I believe that some dreams are ripe for interpretation. I've had many dreams that helped me understand a deep fear I wasn't dealing with, or a longing I hadn't fully expressed. Then again, I've had other dreams—about zombies, for instance—that I chalk up to just my subconscious mind having a little fun.

Interpreting dreams isn't a new phenomenon by any means. In the book of Genesis, Joseph rises through the ranks of Egyptian society precisely because of his skill as a dream interpreter. Daniel earns the favor of King Nebuchadnezzar by interpreting his troubling dream. And Peter, addressing the crowd on the day of Pentecost, quotes Joel: “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. (Acts 2.17)" As long as there have been believers, there have been those who believed God spoke to them in their dreams.

What do you think? Might God be speaking to you in your dreams? I've written down some of my more vivid and meaningful dreams so that I can remember them and revisit them. And yes, there have been times when I believe God was speaking to me. Recently I did a whole sermon series, called "Holy Space" because of a strange dream I had about encountering a foreign God in a strange place.

You may remember lots of dreams, or only an occasional one. Either way, it's great to have people to bounce those images and scenarios off of, just to flesh out any kernels of truth that may be hiding. The way I see it, God is always speaking to us—through our five senses, through relationships, through our own experiences—why not through our dreams?

Sleep tight tonight...

I hope there's something good on YOUtube!

Have a good week,

Mitch
rmitchelltodd@yahoo.com

Discussion Questions

1. How often do you remember your dreams?
   
   
2. Can you remember any dreams you dreamed this week?
   
   
3. What do you think? Do dreams have meaning or are they just screensavers for the brain?
   
   
4. Look at the stories of Joseph in Genesis, and the story of Daniel in Daniel. How were they able to interpret these dreams? Would you make a good dream interpreter?
   
   
5. Have you ever had a dream that, upon further examination, yielded something profound?
   
   
6. Does God talk to people through their dreams?
   
   
7. Who would you feel comfortable telling your dreams too?
   
   

    

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