Scripture: Jeremiah 29:8-9
For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the Lord.
Thought for the Day: Two nights ago, I had a bizarre dream. It was a mix of the IRS showing up and telling me that I had done my taxes incorrectly my entire life, and I owed millions of dollars – and – I had a doctor telling me that my back pain was being caused by two aliens that had embedded themselves next to my spinal cord. When I woke-up, there was about 20 seconds in which I was trying to figure out where I was. I got up and walked around for a few minutes and came to my senses. Our taxes, which we did almost two months ago, are fine (now the alien thing might have some truth to it). I think dreams can reveal a lot, including the voice of God. With that said, I think there are dreams that simply communicate that I shouldn’t have watched the police show earlier in the evening that dealt with tax evasion. And guess what, my back hurts and I wish it was as simple as aliens dwelling between L4 and L5.
Jeremiah the prophet was concerned about the people listening to the nonsense of so-called prophets and diviners. As the Lord declared, “I did not send them!” In the same way, I don’t believe God sends every dream that comes to our minds – during sleep or waking hours. We need to measure these dreams against God’s message in Jesus Christ, and through the discernment of others, we can usually determine whether they speak a truth from God or simply a truth about our poor snack choices late at night. Be aware of God’s moving and nudging and whispering, but also realize that it might just be the false prophets of our own imagination.
Prayer: God whose Spirit still whispers to our spirits, assist us in determining your voice against the many voices that speak nonsense or encourage unhealthy behavior. Amen.
SUNDAY’S SERMON
“A Smoldering Shrub”
