Do you have an unsettling recurring dream? I can think of two that pop into my subconscious dream world now and then. Actually, I think that the one I had in my early years has morphed into the newer one of the past decade or so. I had it just last night, so it’s fresh in my brain. Here’s how it goes:

I am driving on a very winding road at night. There is a steep hill/cliff on one side. Sometimes I have passengers and sometimes I am alone. I begin to feel a numbing weight begin to put pressure on me and spread downward from the top of my head. It dulls my abilities to react quickly. At the same time it begins to numb my senses…as if to stupefy me. At the SAME time, I realize I am fighting with the steering wheel to correct it from steering me off the cliff. It is TRYING to get me off the road!

At this point I have two choices: The first one is to realize or NOT realize that I DO actually have a choice: Then I either cry out to God for help, at which point I get teleported or time-warped onto a straight piece of road where the sun is suddenly shining. If I do not cry to God for help…I inevitably crash. I never dream through the crash. I always wake up (or am awakened) just as it is happening. And when I awaken (as from a nightmare,) my heart is racing and I have this dreadful feeling of having failed the test…having missed a great opportunity, not to mention having hurt others if others were in the car with me.

As you were just reading this, it was probably very easy to connect the dots in finding meaning to the dream. It’s interpretation is pretty obvious. But in much more subtle ways, this learning opportunity plays itself out frequently in everyday life: When we are in danger, oppression, or threatened in any way that places us in a fragile state, we DO have a choice: We can call on the Lord who lovingly awaits our calls, ready to help in every need, or we can “handle it” on our own. We can make a determined choice to completely depend on Him or we can fight through it in our own strength (…or just toss up our hands and give up in defeat.) There are forces that do try to derail us on our journey with Christ. We’re warned about them. We’re told not to be surprised when they present themselves, but to stand fast in our faith and press onward with joy! When our own weaknesses are made painfully obvious to us, these are the miracle opportunities for us to take heart that it is in our weakness that He IS our strength. He WILL do it. We must LET Him do it… It’s our choice! God does not barge in, but He joyfully responds to our invitations!

Dear Father,

Please help us to see by the Light of Your Spirit….to have eyes SEE and ears that HEAR what You want us to understand and grow by. Please help us to always be remembering Your ever-presence in our lives. Keep our hearts and minds fresh to your love and Your wisdom at all times. You are amazing in our lives! It’s all about You.

I thank you for this, in the name and the good standing of Your Son,

Love,

Clover