Genesis 37:5: “And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told [it] his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.”

Some of your more fundamentalist Christians would sort of frown on someone saying that God gave them a dream.  To many Christians that is just being too spiritual or something like that.  They would probably warn against taking dreams too seriously.  It is true that, I believe, that some Christians take dreams too seriously, even to the point of going to some New Age book on dream interpretation.  If I am going to interpret a dream I would not go to some secular or mystical text to interpret the dream.

Actually, the Bible itself can interpret dreams for you, check out the Jewish Talmud as there is quite a list of dream interpretations all based upon Scripture. In fact my study partner is planning on writing a book on Christian dream interpretation using the Bible as the only source of interpretation and not some book for Eastern religions or just someone’s guessing.  Be that as it may, the fact is that the Bible does speak of dreams that come from God.  We cannot deny it. The Bible teaches prophets received their prophecies in dreams. Some of the great men of the Bible heard from God in dreams. One example is Joseph.  His whole future and the future of his people was outlined in a dream.  So I am not about to sell dreaming short and I am looking forward to discussing the study of dreams as Laura does her research for her book.

For instance, my study partner told me of a type of dream I had not considered.  She called it a prayer dream.  Can you actually pray to God in a dream?  We haven’t found any Scripture yet for this, but if you look at the word dream in the Hebrew there might be a clue. The word dream in Hebrew is chalom.  Yeah it is very close to shalom. Shalom as we know means peace, healing, welcoming and is used for an introduction.  The word chalom comes from the root word Chet, Lamed, Final Mem. It is rooted in a Persian word for strength and health.  Indeed medical science has shown that dreams are very healthy for us.

This word chalom carries the idea that a dream is not just some pictures while we sleep, but that they bring results or have some significance.  The very ancient word for dream is built on the idea that there is meaning behind these things.  Look at the letters. You have a Chet which is binding together of your heart and spirit to God, your heart and spirit becomes one with God. The Lamed indicates a hand lifted to heaven to receive something.  That something is found in the last letter, a final Mem which represents the hidden knowledge of God.  Indeed the Talmud teaches that in dreams our body and soul is out for the count freeing our spirits to join with God knowing what God knows, the past, present and future.  Since such knowledge cannot be endured God causes us to forget our dreams or puts the dreams in symbols so as to cushion the blow so to speak.

I mean God has given man a limit of 120 years on earth and one third is spent in an unconscious state.  Surely God is not wasting valuable time. Something is going on during this unconscious state and I believe it is an opportunity to commune with God. The Lamed also represents prayer. If we do commune with God during a dream, could not that Lamed represent a time of intimate prayer. Is it possible that such a thing as a dream prayer exist.

Let me give you an example of something that happened to me just this day.

Anne is the same age as I am, just a couple months older.  So I am aware that I must respect my elders.  But I will be nice. She really is a nice woman, kind of rough around the edges, tattooed barfly type but she has a good heart and takes in stray homeless cats and things like that.  She is single and her children live in another states, but she fiercely maintains her independence despite having crippling arthritis.

I enjoy driving her as she is a very gentle sensitive lady, almost childlike. I tried to talk to her about God and her relationship with Him but she was on to other things and quite uninterested.  Anyway I assured her of my prayers.

I last drove Anne in the early Fall of last year.  I had not seen her until now. Around January I picked up a woman from her apartment complex and I asked about Anne as I had not driven her for some time. She told me that she was in the hospital, had been in the hospital for some weeks and they were planning to put her into nursing home if she lived.  I felt so bad for her, probably because she was my age and but for the grace of God go I.   A couple weeks later I had this dream. I was in the hospital room with Anne and her doctor.  Her doctor told her she would probably never feel her legs and would never walk again. I saw her break out in tears.  I remember in the dream kneeling by her bedside and crying out to God: “Oh Lord she doesn’t deserve this, show her how real you are, and let her walk onto my bus again someday.”

That was about eight months ago.  Today as I looked over my list of passengers and  I saw Anne’s. I was honestly excited over the prospects of seeing her and finding out how she was doing.  I drove up to her apartment complex and there she was on the steps waiting for me.  I got there I jumped out of the bus as I figured she would need some help getting on. But when she walked toward me I almost ran over and hugged her.  Of course I would not do that, that is grounds for sexual harassment now a days.  But I just stood there and said, “It is so wonderful to see you walking.”   She asked how I knew about her condition and I quickly explained her neighbor told me about what was going on although her neighbor said nothing about her inability to walk.  I didn’t mention my dream as I didn’t want her to think I was crazy.  But then I blurted out, “I’ve been praying for you.”

She smiled and said: “Well, then I guess I can tell you as you won’t think I am crazy. Everyone I tell this to thinks I am crazy or making it up.”  She then went on to explain that her condition had worsened so bad that she could not even pick up a fork to feed herself. A nurse had to feed her.   Then one day the doctor came into the room and told her that she would probably never be able to feel or move her legs and walk again.   After the doctor left she broke down and cried and then she said she just looked up and cried out to God to let her walk again.  Then all of a sudden she moved her left leg, then her right leg, feeling was coming back. Then she got out of bed and walked.

I mean she is not exactly doing a marathon and does need to walk with a cane, but they gave her a walker which she said is brand new, still sitting in her apartment and she has never used it.

You know I had no idea what the doctor told her and even what she was in the hospital for. I told her of my dream and my prayer, and she just wept. So that is what a dream prayer is. Is it possible to pray in your dreams. If you have a Scripture for that let us know.