Dreams
Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” Matthew 2:12-13
Many times in scripture God spoke to people through dreams. He spoke to Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Solomon, Daniel and many more. Here we have to dreams that happened almost simultaneously. The wise men were warned in a dream not to go back to talk to Herod and Joseph was instructed to go to Egypt with Mary and Jesus to protect Jesus from Herod. We don’t know if these happened in the same night, but it doesn’t even matter. The point is that God speaks through dreams.
This causes me to ask, does God speak through dreams today? I believe the answer is yes. He did then and He does now. Not only because He said He does in scripture (see Acts 2:17) but also because He has showed me things through dreams personally. I wrote about one instance where the Holy Spirit showed me in a dream how my prayer for my family and others has changed the outcome of their lives. Many times, I have dreamed about a person, randomly, so I would pray for them or send a message of encouragement to them only to find out they were in a struggle and God had reminded me to pray for them for help.
What about you? Have you ever had a dream that was striking or even disturbing? Don’t just push them aside, talk to God about them. Maybe He will show you something He is trying to get across to you or maybe He will just put it on your heart to reach out to someone whom you haven’t connected with for a while. Whatever the case may be, be aware that God does speak through dreams, and He may be speaking to you.
Today I want to encourage you to be aware that you may have a dream that God has given to you. Be prepared in the night, if possible, to make a note if you have a strange dream so you don’t forget about it by morning. You may even take a minute to pray about it right then and ask the LORD if He is trying to say something to you? You can even ask Him before you go to sleep to reveal something to you through a dream if you are not getting it when you are a wake. It may not happen that night, but at least you will be aware when it does. What ever the case may be, talk to God about your dreams and pray about them when you are awake.
Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 2:7-15
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” 14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
The Daily Dose 