Dream - What Does it Mean

God has been showing me, again, my need to grow and submit to his ways. I did not want dream to be my One Word. I have spent so much time and effort letting go of dreams I have little desire to pick up another one to be disappointed when it doesn’t turn out again.  However as I began thinking about One Word for 2013 “Dream” seemed to be it.  My pastor preached on dreaming with God. The topic seemed to be showing up everywhere and I just couldn’t shake it. Part of me wants to have a dream, a dream from God, a God sized dream.  I’m not sure what the right attitude or thinking on dreaming is. 

I love the meanings of words. I enjoy reading the dictionary. I was excited to see what Webster, Daniel Webster from our nation’s past, had to say about my word, dream.  I was disappointed to learn Webster's definition of dream is something that happens while you're sleeping and it's vain.

Dream n. 1. The thought or series of thoughts of a person in sleep.

2. In scripture, dreams were sometimes impressions on the minds of sleeping persons, made by divine agency.

3. A vain fancy; a wild conceit; an unfounded suspicion.

Dream v. 2. To think; to imagine

3. To think idly

4. To be sluggish; to waste time in vain thoughts

Dream means much the same today if you look in the dictionary; but that's not what people mean in our culture when they use the word dream. It’s not what I mean when I think of my One Word.

 I looked in Scripture and came to discover the biblical word for my One Word, dream, is vision. I’m not sure why but I didn’t feel I was supposed to change my One Word to vision, so dream it is. The main verse that kept coming to mind was Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” So I looked to see what Daniel said about vision. 

Vision n. 4. In Scripture, a revelation from God; an appearance, or exhibition of something supernaturally presented to the minds of the prophets, by which they were informed of future events.

 This isn’t quite it either. So what word was used that was translated vision? The word is chazon in Hebrew. One of the meanings is divine communication! That’s what I want. I want to be in relationship with God so I don’t miss any of his divine communications to me, big or small.

Proverbs 29:18 uses the word vision. Without vision, people perish. It is not good to be without vision. I’ve seen and read that many times. It’s only half the verse though. The second part of the verse brings the contrast, the answer. People without vision do not do well; but those who follow God’s ways are happy. So in part vision is knowing God’s ways. He recorded his ways for us in scripture. He sent Jesus to show us his ways.  Walking in his ways is needed.

I know to walk in His ways. I know I need to learn more of them. I want specifics, too. What book do I write next? Do I write another book? How do I spend my “free” time? Are we supposed to go on this mission trip? Or that one? Or stay home and get out of debt? Serve our neighbor? What about my house?

Is that what God means by a vision? Am I meant to be content walking in his ways without specific answers?

I plan to keep studying and praying for the answers. 

What do you think? What are your questions?