Have you ever slept and woke up seriously crying? Or have you had an issue with someone during the day, and while you were sleeping you see them clearly in your dream? You can touch them, you even speak to them. It feels so real that for minutes after you wake up you're struggling to recover from the shock?
If yes, then you definitely know what Sue Monk Kidd meant in this line, "I dreamed. No, not a dream exactly, but a memory echoing in the coils of my sleep".
Dream, according to Longman Dictionary, is a series of thoughts, images, and feelings that you experience when you are asleep. Dreams enable your thoughts and everyday experiences to be transferred to your memory.
In the Bible, God used dreams to speak to his people and direct them. There is no reference that God has stopped using dreams to speak to his children, therefore dreams are important to every Christian.
Five Reasons Why Dreams are Important
1. Dreams Serve as a means of communication and guidance.
After Solomon had made sacrifices to the Lord, God appeared to him in a dream and asked him to ask for anything and he would give it to him (1 Kings 3:5). The Bible records that Solomon was the wisest man on the face of the Earth.
In Numbers 12:6 the Bible says, listen to my words: "When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions and and I speak to him in dreams".
2. God uses dreams to forecast the future.
Gen. 41:1-7; Pharaoh had a dream. Even though he didn't know the meaning of the dream he knew it was not ordinary. God used Joseph to interpret the dream and made them prepare ahead for the days of lack and famine. When every other country was starving, Egypt had plenty.
3. Dreams are usdirection:
In the book of Matthew, the Bible talks about the story of Jesus' birth. When Joseph found out that Mary was with a child before they married he planned to divorce her quietly. While he was resolving this in his heart, an Angel appeared to him in a dream and commanded him not to. In the same manner, there are several occasions where God has used dreams to direct his people.
4. Dreams Warn you of Danger
In as much as we should pay attention to dreams, it is important to note that whatever contrary to the Bible is not of God. In Deuteronomy 13:1-5; the Bible tells us to stay away from this kind of people. People who foretell dreams saying you should follow other gods. Also, in Matthew. 2:13, we read about an Angel of the Lord who appeared to Joseph in a dream, informing him of Herod's plan to kill the child, Jesus. By this revelation he was informed on time and made plans to get them to safety. Another example is found in Genesis 20:3, where God used dreams to warn Abimelech. The Bible tells us that Abraham, on getting to Gerar, lied that his wife, Sarah, was his sister. The king, Abimelech, sent for her until God warned him in a dream.
5. Dreams Reflect recent Life concerns
Dreams incorporate events from the prior day or two. Sometimes, dreams help us reflect on what to do and what actions to take. Since emotions play an important role in dreams, it is not strange to see yourself sober from a situation you left unresolved.
Conclusion
It is important to go to sleep with a clear mind. Pay attention to any dream that bothers you. Pray to God if you see something you do not like. Dreams are important but not all dreams are from God. Guide your heart.
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