Man's story begins in the garden of Eden and it includes an amazing intimacy of relationship between creator and creation. The original perfect intimacy was broken through stepping out from under the God given boundaries meant to protect and preserve that relationship. Disobedience led to lost innocence and a change in relationship. A distance was created that we call shame. Disobedience has consequences and a break and distancing of relationship is a harrowing result of the sin that permeates our present reality.
In Genesis 3:8, we get a little insight on what was lost, "When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God. Intimate fellowship is impossible when we're covered in the shame of true guilt. There is a huge gulf between man made relationship (religion) and God birthed relationship. One is a temporary salve of short term effect... the other is forever relationship of deep and satisfying joy. From the time of that initial break in relationship, God has been on an unending divine rescue mission to restore us back to himself. Lost is not primarily a place or location on a map we need to find.... it's actually more accurately defined as a break in relationship. When your relationships are right.... with God and others...you always wind up where you're supposed to be.
We are complex creations of God. Our beings are a unique mix of body, soul and spirit. Our physical frame, our emotions, our minds and our inner person... our spirit are melded together in unique ways deeply impacted by the tragedy of sin. Hebrews 4:12 tells us of how we need truth to bring healing to the complexity of who we are, "For the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
We need truth to penetrate us before we can fully understand who we are in the depths of our personhood. At night when we get quiet we lay our heads down to rest... and we sleep...or at least we try to. For many sleep is a huge struggle. Restlessness keeps us feeling tired. Our bodily health, our emotional and spiritual state impact our 'night life' of dreams and rest. We live in a broken world and our dream life is often tainted by various types of pain that seek to interrupt our sleep which is meant to be restorative and revelatory. We need many things to be whole and healthy. We know deeply that we need water, food and shelter to keep us well...but did you know you need to be able to dream to stay healthy?
When Jesus died on the cross he was performing a selfless act of eternal significance... he as an innocent (sinless) sacrifice was dying for the sins of all humanity. Literally he died for you and me... to carry the penalty of our own waywardness and sin. Jesus rose from the dead and as a great gift of grace he poured out his Spirit on whoever would humbly call on that amazing grace of forgiveness.
One of the signs of the Spirit of God being poured on his people is an increase in dreams and visions. In the book of Acts chapter 2 and verse 17 we read, "And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams...."
God wants to speak to us in every conceivable way. We spend fully one third of our lives asleep! Far too many of us don't fully embrace the value of the dreams God wants to both give and refine for our lives... in relationship. Like everything else that's broken by sin, our dream life is often distorted and tortured by our own rebellion and self centered souls. When we yield our lives to the great God of love we are meant to experience a renaissance of communion that deeply impacts every single moment of our transcendent existence. I want to challenge you to gain a new appreciation and desire for God to speak to you 24/7!
Jim
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