Category: Dream

Dreams

Ruth Kirk

At present, I’m having a lot of challenging and alarming dreams. Yesterday morning, as I surfaced from a particularly long, disturbing one, I started to pray, and immediately received today’s poem. Later in the day I printed it out, and put a copy beside my pillow. The plan is to say it every night just before settling down to sleep, straight after the beautiful Song of Simeon (see below).

Update: I did this last night, and had no horrible dreams at all, for which I thank God!

God speaks in dreams, those visions of the night when deep sleep covers the land and all are slumbering in their beds. At these times God speaks in our ears and terrifies us with admonitions, to turn us away from wickedness and to keep us humble (Job 33:15-17; TIB). 

Lord,

Stay with me in my dreams,
To help and comfort me, I pray,

Then, be with me when I wake,
To guide and strengthen me each day.

May I hearten others, too,
With help and comfort, when I can, 

And walk the extra mile with them,
And share their load, like you, God’s Lamb. 

If one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles (Matthew 5:41; GNT).

References 

As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36; NLT).

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2; NLT).

Reading: the Song of Simeon

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel (Luke 2:29-32; KJV).

 

God’s light

Ruth Kirk

I woke after a long, vivid dream about being on a bike-ride, and getting completely lost in the dark. As I surfaced, I began to say the Lord’s Prayer, but didn’t get very far…

You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light (2 Samuel 22:29; NLT).

Suddenly, for the first time ever, I was looking directly into my soul. It was softly illuminated by God’s light, just as an oil lamp creates a pool of light in darkness. Previously, I’ve only seen my soul’s dark surface from the outside.

My soul seemed completely empty, but I couldn’t be sure of this because of the darkness beyond the pool of light. If it had any boundaries, they too were lost in the deep, surrounding shadows. This sight lasted no more than a few seconds, then it was over.

Afterwards, I wondered if this experience had really happened, or if I had imagined it. However, when I was saying grace before breakfast, I saw that not only is God light, but that all light is the light of God.

The city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light (Revelation 21:23; NLT). 

References

Clouds and thick darkness surround him (Psalm 97:2; NIV).

Moses approached the thick darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21; NLT).

Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light (Micah 7:8; NLT).

This, then, is the message we heard from Jesus and declare to you: God is light, and in God there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5; TIB).

I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches from secret places so that you may know that I am the Lord (Isaiah 45:3; CSB).

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12; NLT).

Facing the unknown

Ruth Kirk

This morning I was dreaming about opening a large parcel that had unexpectedly arrived for me at a neighbour’s house. When I removed the outer box, another box was revealed. It was wrapped in brown paper, so it was impossible to guess what it might contain.

Before I could find out, I woke up and began to pray, though I was still very drowsy. Whilst slowly surfacing, I suddenly remembered that today I will be travelling to London for specialised medical tests tomorrow. This realisation woke me up more fully. With a touch of apprehension, I began to wonder what the next few days might hold, and reveal. Then I received a very simple prayer to ground me during my trip, and began to write:

Their eyes were opened and they recognized him (Luke 24:31; NIV). 

Lord,
Refill me with your love,
So I grow more and more like you;
Then I’ll see you in others,
Serving you in all I do.

Lord,
Restore me with your love,
So I grow more like you each day;
Then I’ll see you in others,
Serving you in all I say. 

Lord,
Renew me with your love,
So I grow kinder, as you taught;
Then I’ll see you in others,
Serving you in every thought.

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

References

Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40; NIV).

We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ (Ephesians 4:15; NLT).

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged (Matthew 7:1-2; NLT).

 

A dream: 13.8.22.

Ruth Kirk

A few nights ago I had a vivid, strange and disturbing dream:

I saw a group of very young children who had just been separated from those whose task it was to take care of them. The children weren’t old enough to walk, so they were having to crawl along a rough, narrow, dirty street, moving away from their carers, and towards an unknown destination.

All of them were wailing. It was a heartbreaking sound. In his distress, perhaps blinded by tears, one little boy blundered head-first into a stone wall. He slumped to the ground, and I was shocked to hear him cry out, “They don’t love us any more”, in utter despair, hopelessness and desolation. After that he stopped moving. It was clear that he had given up the will to survive.

My heart went out to him. I jumped up and ran to him, putting my arms round his small body to comfort him. At that moment, I woke up with my arms clasped around my pillow. Instantly, even before I could begin to pray, several realisations struck me hard: 

What I realised
Everything I experienced during my childhood laid the foundations of my mental health during adult life.

This includes how I was treated by those who brought me up, as well as by those I was exposed to at school, in churches, clubs, hospitals and all other settings.

Thus, for good or ill, I have been influenced and affected by all the relationships and events I experienced during my formative years.

Comments
From my dream, and from the realisations which followed immediately afterwards, I understood even more clearly than before that the damage done to me in childhood caused the wounds and scars I have carried into adulthood.

These wounds shaped the person I have become, including all I feel, think, say and do. They affect how I behave, relate to others, cope with suffering, treat the world, understand God, and even whether or not I want to live. They also affected how I brought up my son, and how I reacted to having a miscarriage.

My dream showed me the mechanism by which so much of my psychological distress and mental illness has been caused. Only God can fully heal the inner damage I sustained, and the consequences with which I have had to live.

I am the LORD who heals you (Exodus 15:26; NLT).

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds (Psalm 147:3; NLT).

 

A vision in a dream: 5.7.22.

Ruth Kirk

The heavens herald your glory, O God, and the skies display your handiwork. Day after day they tell their story, and night after night they reveal the depth of their understanding (Psalm 19:1-2; TIB).

Let all that I am praise the LORD. O LORD my God, how great you are! You are robed with honour and majesty. You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens (Psalm 104:1-2; NLT).

One night, I dreamed that when I looked up at a beautiful, blue, day-time sky, wonderfully streaked with white clouds, it changed in a moment to the most ravishing, stunning night sky I had ever seen.

The darkness of the vast, over-arching firmament was filled with countless stars, bright and dim, great and small, amongst which I could also see planets. The whole vision was alive: I was watching what was actually happening high above me at that very moment.

Within the dream, this vision happened several times over the course of a few days, and in conversation with a clergyman, I described it to him. His response was fascinating. He told me that the next time it occurred, I should try to extend the vision at its edges, so I could see even more. I suspected that he wanted to know what might be revealed. However, I knew immediately that I would not do as he suggested, for two reasons.

Firstly, during each vision, I was fully absorbed in what I was experiencing. Transfixed by its beauty and wonder, I was overwhelmed with joy and awe. Thus, I had no capacity to think beyond the moment.

Secondly, I knew that each vision was complete. I was seeing what Yahweh wanted me to see, nothing more, and nothing less, so I had no desire to attempt to extend it in any way.

Then I woke up, began to pray, and knew immediately that I had to write down all I had experienced whilst sleeping.

To whom can you liken me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and ask yourself who made these stars, if not the One who drills them like an army, calling each by name? Because God is so great in strength, so mighty in power, not a single one is missing (Isaiah 40:25-6; TIB).

 

The dream of angels

Ruth Kirk

God is not the dream of angels,
Nor a vision,
Nor a creed.

God is not just wishful thinking,
Nor a longing,
Nor a need.

God is neither male nor female,
Storm, nor earthquake,
Fire, nor flood.

God is Father, Son, and Spirit,
One forever —
God is Love.

God is love (1 John 4:16; NLT).

References

This is …the message of the man whose eyes see clearly, the message of one who hears the words of God [and] sees a vision of the Almighty (Numbers 24:3-4; NLT).

I yearn for the Lord, more than watchmen do for the morning (Psalm 130:6; NET).

He is not a human being (1 Samuel 15:29; NIV).

The Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire (1 Kings 19:11-12; NLT).

I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing (Genesis 6:17; NLT).

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; NIV).

The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! (Deuteronomy 6:4; NASB).

 

A vision in a dream 19.2.21.

Ruth Kirk

Out in the estuary,
Dragged from the shore.

The current, relentless;
My strength is no more.

There’s no turning back now:
I’ve drifted too far –

Down to the river-mouth;
Over the bar.

The ocean, before me;
The future, unknown;

The start of my journey –
Afraid, and alone.

Drawn by the ebb-tide,
I’m swept out to sea.

My days are completed:
My spirit flies free.

The dust returns to the ground it came from,nand the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).

In my dreams

Ruth Kirk

Image: cgrape, Pixabay

💚

I long for the Lord (Psalm 130:6; NLT).

1. Lord,
I long to see you
In my dreams –
To join the crowd,
And listen
As you preach.

2. Lord,
I want to meet you
In my dreams –
To sit with you,
And learn
From all you teach.

3. Lord,
I yearn to reach out
In my dreams –
To touch your robe,
And know, at last,
I’m whole.

4. Lord,
I thirst to serve you
In my dreams –
Then wake,
And help you save
Some poor, lost soul.

💚

References

1. The large crowd listened to him with great delight (Mark 12:37; NLT).

2. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught (Luke 10:39; NLT).

3. If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed (Matthew 9:21; NLT).

4. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15; NLT).

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him (1 Timothy 1:12; NLT).

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35; NIV).

Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40; NIV).

Questions

Ruth Kirk

Image: Francesco Paggiaro, Pexels

1. Why do we long for beauty, Lord,
While you hold out forgiveness?

2. Why do we thirst for luxuries,
While you pour out your blood?

3. Why do we dream of riches,
While you offer us salvation?

4. Why do we yearn to see the world,
While you wait in us all, with love?

 

References

1. Beauty does not last (Proverbs 31:30; NLT).

You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love (Nehemiah 9:17; NLT).

2. You have lived on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter (James 5:5; NLT).

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28; NIV).

3. A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God (Luke 12:21; NLT).

If the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it (Romans 11:12; NLT).

4. The younger son gathered together all he had and travelled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living (Luke 15:13; CSB).

The Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).

You are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).

Darkness

Ruth Kirk

Image: Matthias Heil, Unsplash

1. When all my peace and joy
Are stripped away,
You are in the darkness I must face.

2. When all my health and strength
Are stripped away,
You are in the stillness I embrace.

3. When all my hopes and dreams
Are stripped away,
You are in the sorrow that remains.

4. When all I thought I had
Is stripped away,
You are in the silence, Lord, that reigns.

References

1. You have covered us with darkness (Psalm 44:19; NLT).

O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness (1 Kings 8:12; NLT).

If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God (Isaiah 50:10; NLT).

2. My health is broken (Psalm 38:7; NLT).

My strength is gone (Daniel 10:17; NLT).

Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10; NLT).

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever (Psalm 73:26; NLT).

3. My hopes have disappeared. My heart’s desires are broken (Job 17:11; NLT).

He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4; NIV).

4. Even what they think they have will be taken from them (Luke 8:18; NIV).

After the fire [came] a sound of sheer silence (1 Kings 19:12; NRSV).