Dreamy Intercessions

At the behest of my friends, proteges, and loving wife i am writing. Although i am unsure if anyone at this point has persisted in checking back with this blog (since i neglected my blog for a year), i figured i would launch a new post on something quite weird, and see if anyone in blogven notices.

Ok, so my academic pursuits have brought equilibrium to my hyper-spiritual experiences that i used to foray into as a youth.  But perhaps a four year hiatus from grad school has thrust me into my former spiritual awareness.  Regardless of why, for two weeks now i have had these dreamy sob sessions.  I cannot give details since it involves several parishioners in our community of worship.  But to give voice to what has been happening I will simply tell how it started. 

About ten days ago I went to sleep and i dreamt my children were suffering intense pain.  As they suffered I sobbed.  My body heaved as i looked Godward for help.  Julie, my wife, shook me awake asking me what was wrong.  And asked me if i was aware that i was weeping.   Not sure what to make of it i told her it was a nightmare and rolled over, instantly our bedroom which is in the third floor of our church building (downtown San Francisco) began to shake, the walls collapsed, the building gave way in a earthy groan; once again i began weeping and crying out to God.  Julie shook me awake again and asked me what was wrong and why was i crying.  I couldnt answer her.  I didnt know what to say.

For the past week i have had these experiences off and on.  Julie is stirred, awakened by my sleep-weep.  She then wakes me up.  Yesterday morning she asked me what was wrong.  What was going on.  Because i am so unfamiliar with this i havent had an answer. 

Last night i walked into the sanctury to pray for divine help with Sundays sermon.  As i prayed faces flashed in my consciousness, leaders in our community, attendees at our church, and it was as if each dream was played out while i prayed.  For a moment there i felt like my dreamscapes had become territory for intercession. 

Perhaps i was so busy, preoccupied with life and my own personal quest in God that i had neglected intercession.  Could this have been the mercy of God using me in my sleep?  I thought of Paul, "the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."

Although i am not sure what to make of it even now, in my heart i believe God is using me.  At least i want to believe that. In 1994 i was in Ethiopia staying with a deeply devoted Ethiopian Christian leader.  We were at a conference.  I had been asked to pray for him during the conference.  At 3am i was jarred out of my sleep by this man's intense prayer.  Feeling as though i was neglecting my duty to pray i jumped out of bed and hit the floor praying, i wanted to pray with him.  After a couple minutes i looked up and he was still in bed, sleeping, but praying.  Puzzled, perplexed and not wanting to wake him, but not wanting to sleep through this highly charged moment.  I lowered my voice and pressed on praying in the Spirit.  He then woke up, sat straight up in his bed and prophesied something to me.  Something i saw come to pass in my life. In that moment i felt as if i had been whisked back to the days of the early church and i was living with Peter, Paul, John, and other followers of the Way.

Perhaps my dream-weep is a portent of good things to come.  If it is God, no doubt he intends on answering.

Comments

[Mark Pryor]

Stirring post. It brought to mind some experiences from the past that were very similar. BTW keep blogging, I still had you on my bloglines. :-)

[Tlee]

Interesting post...perhaps God is desiring to take the entire body(SFL) into a deeper place of intercession and it's starting with you? Nevertheless, I'd be eager to hear if this develops further...

[sReeves]

In light of our own agendas and "spiritual wish lists," it's far too easy to forget the importance of considering, standing for, and interceding on behalf of...others. Thanks for the transparent reminder.