I’ve been walking on a mystifying path the last couple of years. As a teen, I read a book called Your Dreams, God’s Forgotten Gift. It made the claim that God is a communicating God. He consistently spoke to men of old via dreams. Why wouldn’t He continue to do that today?
I’m further entranced by scripture references regarding His desires for intimacy with us. Ponder these as they might relate to our topic:
For the perverse (devious) person is an abomination (detestable) to the LORD, But His secret counsel is with the upright
(Proverbs 3:32).
The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant (Psalm 25:14).
I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night
(Proverbs 16:7).
For His God instructs him and teaches him properly
(Isaish 28:26).
This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance
(Isaiah 28:29).
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you
(Psalm 32:8).
In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams
(Acts 2:17).
I love the capacity of the lover of our souls to wink at and whisper to His beloved. I have experienced it a million times. I believe dreams can be God’s “secret counsel”. A mysterious private communiqué.
I used to think I didn’t dream. I was astounded to learn that everyone dreams. As I’ve explored my dreams, I’m astonished. I am more mindful of them and therefore remember them more. I also log them and pray about them.
As Christians we need to be very cautious regarding worldly and even spiritist interpretations of our dreams. There is no shortage of demonic influence in this field. I’m afraid that, to that end, we have thrown out the baby with the bath water.
Here’s one I had this morning that I’d love to explore with my readers. Please pipe in your thoughts under “leave a comment” (which might be at the top or bottom depending on which device you are using.)
I was in a house in a new subdivision. From my front room looking out, I could see my employee Sarah in her living room next door to the right. On two occasions, she was sitting at her table frantically swatting at bats that were flitting around her.
A silver truck belonging to her friend was parked by the road in front of Sarah’s house. There was a deep ditch between the road and Sarah’s house. The truck was parked very precariously parallel to the house. It looked like it would tip over at any moment.
After a while, I looked to the left and there was my other employee Lorie, in her house. Sarah was over there along with their friend, the truck owner, whose face I couldn’t see. The truck was now in this driveway, backed in and level. Lorie has a great laugh, and they were all cutting up, laughing about something.
In the next scene, I was standing at Sarah’s doorway. The door was open and I could see many bats roosting on a beam in the living room. They started to fly out. One huge one flew towards me and plastered itself on my face. I had ducked and was crouching close to the ground with my right arm in front of me in a defensive stance. I was shocked but not terrified (surprisingly :)). I woke up peeling the huge webbed wing off my face.
What’s your first reaction? If we start by identifying the various aspects of the dream, what stands out to you and what do you make of it? I’ll disclose my interpretation in Part 2.
The man with no face seems to be dark and the bats seem dark. Although I’m not certain of the reason for it.
The bats stand out to me. Bats are mentioned in Leviticus as being unclean. Not sure what that means in the context of your dream though. The truck is intriguing to me as well. I’ve read books on dream interpretation (only biblical based books) and trucks can sometimes represent a ministry for believers or a rugged life style for nonbelievers. A lot of symbolism in dreams is specific to the person having the dream. What God may use as symbolism for you, may not be what He uses to speak to me. Also, look at the meaning of the names of the people in your dream. Sometimes the answer is in the name meaning, and nothing to do with the person. Praying you find the answers to this dream! It’s very symbolic and has a purpose! Sorry I don’t have a specific interpretation for you.
Hi Valerie, thanks for piping in. I forgot to mention I changed the names :). You were wise to hone in the primary objects, the bats and the truck.
It was actually a woman. She was facing the other way so I couldn’t see her face.
My very first thought comes from my study of bats. This behavior is a-typical to hit an object whilst flying out of a cave/confinement. Millions of bat exit without bumping each other let alone land grasping an obstacle.
So, that fact being considered, I move to the idea that this behavior was out of the ordinary to the extreme. It must be intentional. So why would a bat grab your face?
With your eyes covered or what senses worked best for you? Did this make you focus on things differently? We’re you still to listen?
God’s miracles to get attention turn the natural world on its ear:
Burning bush, water from rock, fleece repels dew, water to wine, walking on water and the like.
In the back of my mind I’m puzzled by the two ladies and how different their activities are: swatting away invaders vs dancing away the day without a care.
Is one at war and the other unawares? Did you come to confront the intruder or did the intruder engage you?
This just flashed up on my screen. Where this naughty bunny been? It popped up on a format I’m not familiar with. Hmmm! I’m glad yours showed up. Some are still incognito… Very strange. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Thanks for your comments on the bats. so true! A bat on the face would make you stop and think, wouldn’t it?
What intruder?
Hannah, My reply is just that a long time ago I read a book by Catherine Marshall titled “Something More”
In it she describes journaling her dreams and in doing that she gradually remembered her dreams. I decided to try it and was amazed at what I remembered and later looked back on those journal entries and felt God communicating to me.
Many blessings to you friend and thank you for sharing your journey!
I’ll have to look that up. Interesting that your remembered that. Are you “a dreamer”?
I apologize to those texting me that they posted responses and they’re nowhere to be found. I can’t find them anywhere either. 🙁
Here’s my decoding of this communi
I’ll write my current understanding of the dream in the next post, “DREAMS – Decoding the Communique”.
I see 2 views in your dream. First you are an observer of both views, fear being one, trying to rid the bats frantically. The other living life to the fullest, on solid ground (Jesus and faith) which calms the frantic and panic. Then you as the observer enter the scene and get smacked with the thing that brought panic. What now do you do with it….try and take it away in your own strength or have faith that Jesus will walk with you in the midst of it?
Different view than I’d considered. I can see that!
I woke up this morning thinking about your dream Hannah, ad I read it last night. It’s interesting to see the interpretation of it today.
Aside from the interpretation:
One of the first things that came to me about your dream;
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalms 23:4 NIV
I can relate to your thoughts on bats, I don’t like them either. The well lit house reminds me of our current society, life, consistently stimulated, busy & lit, heck darkest our eyelids get is in sleeping.
The calm house is one of calm, calm of believing who’s in control. The kind of house we desire to be in, your house Hannah, my house, a house strengthened with belief.
To me, the bats represent the pestilence/virus, the chaos/panics input communities as we adjust to slowing down, & getting closer to ourselves and others.
I think you were pulling off that bat wing on your face with your personal, inner,& believing strength that you/we will persevere with His mighty hand.
Even in this uncertain time, He is our Solid source of comfort & our strength.
Wow, Paula. Thank you sharing all that. I’m struck by your insight regarding the brightly lit house and associating it with stimulation. Very unnatural. So much so that the”bat” aspects of us have had to adapt and are now roosting in the light… hmmm.