These thoughts have been inspired by the Prayer and Fasting meditations that members of Horley Baptist Church considered during February 2020. Here, we look at the passage suggested for Wednesday 12th February:
Matthew 1:18-2:12
Dreams – that time when you think you are asleep but your mind most definitely is not. Churning through disconnected and often obscure thoughts it constructs scenarios that can be either nightmares that we are pleased to escape from or pleasant stories that finish too soon. In this passage there are two dreams – one personal, one apparently collective; one saying “Do it” and the other saying “Don’t do it”. In yesterday’s passage from Judges, God spoke to Gideon through a dream and later in the week we will see how God spoke to Ananias in a similar way.
Does God still speak through dreams or is it a case of “any dream will do”? Some will argue that God no longer speaks through dreams. Certainly, of themselves, dreams constitute very unreliable guidance. Taking a wider definition of dreams, how do we know which of our plans, ambitions or desires are God-given? Is it a lack of faith if we, like Gideon and Ananias, ask for confirmation? God will not abandon us if we follow the wrong dream, but how do we know His will?
We have an advantage that was not available to those mentioned in our readings; namely the written word of God which reveals His character and records His dealings with His people. Do our ideas conform with what we see in the Bible? Of course we can find verses which, when taken out of context, seem to support our arguments but Proverbs shows us a better way: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” (Prov 16 v3)
The book of 1st Chronicles tells us how God inspired King David to make plans that he was not allowed to implement himself. In handing over to his successor, David advised him to seek the Lord. Therein lies the secret to achieving a favourable outcome.
Remember, the Wise Men came seeking the Lord; wise men still do.
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys