I often have dreams and many are weird and forgettable, despite in most cases not remembering what it was that I had dreamed about.

Dreams were a big deal in the Bible and they were meaningful, e.g. we see this throughout the lives of Joseph and Daniel, and lots of others besides (Bible Verses About Dreams (see here) relates). Then there is Joel’s prophecy about old men dreaming dreams to consider and that could include me along with my fellow oldies.

But last night I had a dream, still a bit weird and yet making some sense. In a nutshell, I was organising a camp when there were lots of practical details that needed to be sorted out and it seemed all too overwhelming. I should add, back in the day I was involved in a number of camps usually assisting, but never as the main organiser, and most of the people who were in charge are no longer around.

As for sorting stuff out (in my dream), this included fixing a leaky toilet, fitting in the camp attendees to the limited bed space available and pacifying one disgruntled helper who felt she should be rewarded for her efforts. No big deal you might think and not one worth spiritualising over – maybe! The dream ended with a strong sense coming across me that I needed to look to God for help in whatever assignment that he was to give me, just as Moses had to do during his forty years leading the Israelites in the Wilderness and having to set up camp in many different places.

Joel’s prophecy was partly fulfilled on the first Day of Pentecost following Jesus’ resurrection, when the promised Holy Spirit descended on Jesus’ disciples. Undoubtedly, many in the two thousand years that followed, have experienced the Holy Spirit such that the young did see visions and the old did dream dreams. But the expectation is for there to be a lot more to come.

Things are happening in the world at an alarming rate and God is at work, evidenced by reports of unlikely people having God given visions and dreams. This is a good time to welcome the Holy Spirit operating in this way and that visions and dreams may be a normal, common place experience. We must do so, however, without claiming some dream or vision we receive is of God when it isn’t and basing our experience of God around visions and dreams rather than our faithfully praying and diligently studying the scriptures.