Dreamed

And he dreamed . . . 

 - From Genesis 28

It seems like so many of the most momentous encounters with God occur at night, in the lonely hours when perhaps our imaginations run wild. They occur while other are sleeping and you are restless, and virtually alone. We see God in our dreams.

For this reason, I have always felt there are more to dreams, than meets the eye. Some people believe there is even a dream realm that is as real as our waking hours. On several occasions in my life, I have had vivid dreams about people - acquaintances, friends, co-workers, students, family members. These dreams may involve conversation or intense interchanges.

If, within the next few days, I come across one of the people in these dreams, there may be a pithy moment of awkwardness; as though we both were aware of having the same strange interaction, in the dream state - - - but both are afraid to bring it up. "No, I don't feel awkward. Maybe it's just you."

Of course, all of the above may be the fanciful reckonings of a lifelong aficionado of literary fantasy. 

Perhaps, while in the dream state, with our mind fully rested and not distracted, we are at our most ready to see, and listen to, God. 

Jacob's dream occurred as he rested upon a rock ("upon this rock I will build my Kingdom") in a location that may have been where Abraham began to sacrifice Isaac. It may be near where the Temple was ultimately built. It may be near Gethsemane, or Golgotha. It is close to Bethlehem. People throughout history have noticed the other-worldly aspects to the land of Palestine, and Israel. 

A lot of things happened there . . . a lot of strange things . . . a lot of events that impact all of human history, from beginning, to end. . . from the first rung, to the top. 

We should not discount the value of dreams, both those that we concoct while awake, and those that seem to enter into our minds, while we sleep. Jacob dreamed, and so do we.