2-19-2012 Dreaming Outside the Box

Acacia Tree in wadi by Dead Sea

      You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

      

      "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

      

      Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

Joel 2:27-29

Good morning, Ancient of Days. Thank You again for Your presence,

Overlooking Megiddo (site of Amageddon)

As You know, I had plans, but they've been interrupted. I was going to write a warm and fuzzy blog entry about some of the experiences of our extraordinary trip to Israel and relate it in some pithy way to life as I perceive it. That plan was not Your desire. Something has been bothering me... dreams. Large dreams - each and every night since returning. Dreams about Your land and about our travel group and about the journey itself and...on and on. The visions have not stopped - not that I want them to, but as much a dreamer as I have been, I've not EVER had this kind of experience before.

Abraham & Eleizar
at Genesis Land

I want to share the dreams, but they are not entirely clear - filled with historical Biblical sites and lines of people - encounters with some, confrontations with others. I'd like to reason that this is just my mind's way of processing the overwhelming amount of experience that has been recently crammed into my tiny brain. Perhaps, but there's more. Lord, the sense I get each morning, when awakening is of great longing and hope, yet with a peace that...oh, this is going to sound way too scriptural, I almost hesitate...that I can't understand. These are not just visions of places seen in Israel, but also of destinations not yet visited.

Sebastia

This is where it gets a little... creepy, Spirit of Light. I offhandedly mentioned the consistency of my dreams to Patti and she replied immediately, "Me too." She has been experiencing the same phenomena! OK, that may be explainable because we are "soul mates" and share a lot of the same tendencies. But then I received a Facebook message from one of our travel group members who, unprovoked, also noted that he has been having constant dreams about our trip.

Bedouin & Friend

Church Dome at Jacob's Well

Joseph had to interpret for Pharaoh and Daniel for Nebuchadnezzar, Pilot's wife was given a message in the same way and You Yourself said in Numbers that You would make Yourself known in dreams. Are You trying to tell me/us something, Adonai? Am I personally just too dense to properly tune in to Your message? I don't want to miss it!

Jerusalem Alley

Mount Hermon

And a thought has occurred to me. How many others? Are there more of those from the trip who are  traveling in the night? At the risk of turning my attention from You in this conversation, Master, I'd like to ask of those following along - both those who journeyed physically and those who walked with us in prayer - are you dreaming? Are you seeing or hearing in ways that maybe are new to you or that you are reluctant to share because...you thought it was only you?

Path to Sea of Galilee near Mt. of the Beatitudes

Is this a beginning? A calling? Is it just an individual prodding or are You, the One who put definition to the word Exodus, preparing yet another venture for a multitude? Should we be keeping our wicks and oil ready for something yet unknown?

I'll be anxiously waiting for answers from my brothers and sisters, and from You, Creator. Meanwhile, I live and dream for You, my God.

Mark C.