Exodus 3:1-12
Moses at the Burning Bush
 
In this passage, God dwells on a mountain, a particular mountain, in fact, Horeb and later named Sinai. This one particular mountain is considered God’s mountain, God’s own real estate. It was believed that Ancient Near Eastern deities often dwelled on mountains. In Greek Mythology, the gods lived on Mount Olympus because it was higher and closer to the heavenly realm, in which they could look down upon and rule the mortals. But God did not look down upon the people on this particular mountain. God appeared there to Moses and made plans for him to bring the Israelites there to join God on God’s mountain.  
 
It was considered God’s mountain because God appeared to Moses there. This is the first time God appeared to Moses on the mountain, but certainly not the last. Moses would often go to “the mountain of God” to commune with God and to seek guidance. God’s covenant with the Israelites was made on the mountain, and it was this very place that God brought the Israelites to “myself,” as God said in Exodus 19:4. God released the Israelites from bondage because he heard their cry, but also so God could bring them to this holy place on the mountain to worship.
 
Sometimes it is helpful to meet God in a specific place. Since God is Spirit and invisible, it is often hard to feel a connection to something we can’t see. Perhaps that is why God began appearing in specific places and in real elements, so that we can feel a real connection to God. God called Moses and the Israelites to this real place, so they could experience the living God.
 
God also appeared through fire in the burning bush as a way to get Moses’ attention. Moses was busy with his daily tasks of herding sheep when out of nowhere he saw a burning bush. But there was something different about it. It wasn’t just a bush on fire. It would not burn up, which made it so obvious that there was something miraculous going on. Moses’ curiosity caused him to stop what he was doing and investigate. When he turned his attention toward the miraculous, God spoke to him.
 
God called Moses by name, and told him that he was standing on holy ground. This is the first time “holy” is used in scripture to describe the presence of God. The ground itself is holy because it is the mountain of God, where God dwells. God is on the mountain and in the mountain as well as in the elements upon it. All of it is holy because God is there.
 
However, God doesn’t stay only on the mountain. God promises Moses, “I will be with you” (v.12) when Moses goes to bring the people back from Egypt. God is on the move and will show the Israelites that God can dwell in many places. But, first, God must bring them to this holy place, the mountain of God.
 
Where does God dwell for you? Is there a specific “go to” place where you go to connect with God’s presence? Do you consider this place holy ground?
Have you experienced God on a mountain or through fire?
When has God been with you, particularly when God has called you to something?
 
Perhaps, this week, you can go to your place that you consider is holy ground. Connect with God in a special, specific place on God’s mountain.

​Acts 10:9-16
Peter’s Dream
 
What an interesting passage this is! However, the word, “trance,” really bothers me. Many of the bible translations use it, except for a few that use “asleep” or “vision.” The definition of trance describes “a half-conscious state between sleeping and waking.” That makes me feel somewhat better because all I could picture at first was Mowgli from The Jungle Book being hypnotized by Kaa the Snake. Kaa’s eyes swirl and put Mowgli into a trance as Kaa sings “Trust in me.” The negative connotations associated with “trance” today leave me skeptical.
 
I had to look up the original Ancient Greek word, which is ἔκστασις ekstasis, or ecstasy, which is defined as a state when a person transcends normal consciousness, or a time of bewilderment and amazement. I guess “trance” is the closest English word that describes the half-sleeping / half-awake state Peter experienced when he saw an opening to heaven.
 
With this definition, it seems as though he fell into this ecstatic trance after he saw the vision because he was so amazed and bewildered to have this experience from God. But scripture makes it sound as if he goes into a trance and then has the vision. Maybe that doesn’t bother anyone else, but it seems too hokey to me if he goes into a trance and then has the vision. I could certainly see how he would fall into ecstasy after receiving a vision from God, but if it happened before, it might seem as if he was conjuring the vision himself.
 
I think it’s really important to know that this vision came from God. If it came from Peter, it could be interpreted that Peter was so hungry that he was giving himself permission to break the Jewish dietary laws. “The voice” tells him to eat anything to satisfy his hunger, even what used to be considered unclean. Even though Peter heard a voice, that could’ve been his own inner voice. It wouldn’t be the first time that someone mistook the voice of God and used it as an excuse when they want to satisfy their own desires.
 
However, if this vision was produced by Peter’s hunger, it would only be about food. After reading the entire chapter, the vision is clearly not about food. Clean vs unclean food is an analogy that God used to describe the Jew and Gentile relationship. Jews considered Gentiles unclean or impure, so God was teaching Peter that the good news is for all people. God’s vision is for people to come together as one, and to consider each other equally valuable.
 
Perhaps God used the food laws as the analogy because Peter was so hungry, and he had food on the brain. Perhaps it was because their food laws were deeply ingrained in his Jewish upbringing, so God knew that change needed to happen at the foundation. Perhaps God knew that the best way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
 
The opening to heaven was the sign that this vision was from God and not Peter. It is also important to remember that Peter went to the roof to pray. When Peter retells this experience in the next chapter, he said, “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision” (Acts 11:5). So, Peter’s hunger may have played a role in the vision, but it didn’t produce a hunger dream. While Peter was praying, he received a vision. Whether the vision came first or the trance, it doesn’t change the fact that God gave Peter a message that broadened his ministry.
 
Sometimes words in scripture speak to us in positive ways or negative ways, so we dig deeper to explore what lies underneath that word. I still don’t like the word “trance,” but I just have to remind myself that sometimes ancient words don’t always translate well to English. I shouldn’t let that interfere with the real point of the passage: God spoke and Peter listened.
 
Reflection questions:
What do you think about the word “trance”?
Have you ever received a message from God or a vision?
Was it while you were praying or another time?
What role does Peter’s hunger play in this passage? 

Matthew 27:15-23
Pilate’s Wife’s Dream

This dream is an interesting one to include in the God-sized Dreams series because we don’t actually get to hear about the dream. We don’t really know if this dream was from God. It is only mentioned in The Gospel of Matthew, and we are only given one verse: “While [Pilate] was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him” (v.19). All we learn is that a Roman woman, who is not a follower of Jesus, had a dream about Jesus that caused her great suffering.
 
What do you think the dream was about? This is the beauty of scripture. It gives us space to explore different interpretations and to bring our own imaginings and experience to the scripture. Here are some questions that invite you to enter this space: What kind of dream would cause you to suffer? Have you had a dream that was so troubling that you considered it a nightmare? Have you had a nightmare that troubled you so much that it influenced your behavior? Perhaps it caused you to act or not act in a certain way. Have you ever had a dream about Jesus? A dream “about him” was what caused Pilate’s wife to act.
 
Some scholars feel that it was a prophetic dream that told the future about Jesus’ death on the cross. Even though Jesus was innocent, he would be crucified. This event was ordained by God to redeem humanity, so she sent word to her husband to stay out of it, so Jesus can die for our sins. Others have taken it a step further to say the dream was from Satan, to try to prevent Jesus’ death and redemption of humanity.
 
Other scholars believe that proving Jesus’ innocence was key. Romans valued justice because it gave them permission to rule people. The dream convinced her of Jesus’ innocence, and she sent word so that true justice could be served. After several failed attempts, Pilate washed his hands of it, but affirmed Jesus’ innocence. It was a nightmare because justice wouldn’t be served, and Pilate’s name would forever be attached to this historic event.
 
Some think that God was trying to protect Jesus. When Jesus was born, God directed Joseph through four dreams in order to protect Jesus from being killed. God was doing the same thing by sending a message to a person that could influence the judgment, so he wouldn’t be crucified.
 
Behind all of these interpretations is someone’s theology. Their thoughts and beliefs about God influence how they interpret scripture. When we enter into this space, we will do the same. We bring our own theology, our understanding of God, to scripture, and that influences how we interpret it.
 
All we truly know is that Pilate’s wife had a dream about Jesus and something about the dream troubled her. When my dreams trouble me, it’s because they seem so real as if it actually happened. They stay with me after I awake. I can’t shake them. My nightmares have always been about someone hurting me or my children. I consider it a nightmare if those closest to me, those whom I love deeply, die.
 
I wonder if Jesus came to Pilate’s wife in a dream to show her who he truly is. He brings her love and peace, and the thought of losing this love causes her to suffer greatly. It stays with her and she can’t shake it, so she acts. She does all she knows to do, which is to send word to her husband who has the power to save him. Yet, even after his attempts, he can’t prevent this dream from becoming a nightmare.
 
Sometimes our dreams about Jesus will become nightmares. They stay with us and cause unrest until we surrender. Maybe our initial understanding of Jesus clashes with a new understanding. Our understanding of God no longer matches the one we were taught and that wreaks havoc on our lives.
Dreams about Jesus can turn our lives upside down. The one who brings love and peace can make our old lives feel like a nightmare without it.
 
Dreaming about Jesus is dreaming about a love that can change the world. Pilate’s wife saw a glimpse of how this love could change the world, and she was compelled to act. We are invited to dream “about him” too, so we can put Christ’s love into action.
 
What is one thing you can do today that puts Christ’s love into action? 

​Matthew 1:18-2:23
Joseph’s Dreams about Jesus
 
When Joseph is engaged to be married to Mary, he discovers that Mary is pregnant. He knows that he isn’t the father, so he plans to break the covenant quietly. An angel comes to Joseph in a dream and lets him in on the plan about Jesus. The first words are “Don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife” (v.20). The Message translation says, “Don’t hesitate.” Joseph allowed fear to cause him to hesitate from fulfilling his call to be a father to Jesus and a husband to Mary.
 
What was he afraid of? Marriages were arranged during this time, so maybe he was afraid that Mary was in love with someone else and the covenant he agreed to would be a loveless marriage. Joseph was a “righteous” (moral) man. Maybe he questioned Mary’s character or her story about being pregnant from the Holy Spirit. It was just too impossible to be true. Maybe he was afraid the public disgrace would fall back on him. He just wanted to end things quietly and go about his life. He could pretend that none of this happened.
 
Fear is a dream killer. God was dreaming a new dream with the birth of Jesus, yet fear threatened it to come to pass. Mary was the one who was already pregnant with Jesus, so one may argue that if Joseph had let fear cause him to hesitate on the marriage or not go through with it at all, then certainly God would have called someone else to take Joseph’s place. Perhaps. But God did call Joseph to this very important role, and fear was causing him to back down.
 
I think anyone would be fearful. When God dreams a new dream and calls us to be a part of it, it can be terrifying. It’s not what we originally agreed to. Our plans of living a quiet, simple life are no longer possible. We question if we will be able to live up to this God-sized dream. We think, certainly God called the wrong person. We don’t have what it takes to accomplish this dream, or we just don’t want to be bothered. We will encounter a whole set of other problems that we will now have to deal with. Life just got more complicated.
 
Life is going to be complicated no matter what, so we might as well do what God is calling us to do. Life will be a much-more wonderful complication. Putting our fears to rest and saying yes to God opens a whole new avenue for God to come to us. Letting go of our hesitations and trusting that God will continue directing us along the way gives God space to show up in our lives.   
 
Fear is a normal human response, and sometimes even a healthy response. When Joseph learned that Herod’s son, Archelaus, was in power over their region, he was fearful to go back to Nazareth, even after the angel told him to return. The angel came to him in another dream and told him to go a different way to avoid the threat. The angel in this dream did not tell him, “Don’t be afraid,” but redirected him because of his fear. Fear can protect us when the threats are very real. We have to determine if fear is helping us or hindering us. Are we allowing fear to keep us from following God’s call? Maybe God calls us to acknowledge the fear but go another way. No matter how fearful it may be, God calls us into action to follow the dream God is dreaming for us and the world.
 
Reflection questions:
When has fear ever kept you from acting?  
What were you afraid of?
When has fear helped you in order to protect you?
Has God ever spoken to you through a dream?
 
Action: Face a fear. Push through a hesitation and do something that God is calling you to do.

Genesis 37:12-28
Joseph’s Dreams: The Sequel
 
I ended last week’s reflection with the question: “Where is God in this story?” I begin this week’s reflection with the same question. In the second half of this story in Genesis 37, there still is no outright mention of God. So, where IS God in this story?
 
Jacob/Israel continues to show Joseph favoritism. Joseph is not with his brothers working in the field and gets to stay behind while they do the hard work. He asks Joseph to go find his brothers and report back to him. Israel also continues to put Joseph in a “supervisory” role over his brothers by asking him to keep tabs on them. Even after Israel saw the brothers’ envy and hatred toward Joseph after the dream-sharing, Israel doesn’t alter his behavior. He sends his beloved son directly into harm’s way.
 
Israel may not know that he is sending Joseph into danger, but the text foreshadows it by saying the brothers are near Shechem. You have to read Chapter 34 to find out what happened to Shechem. It’s not pretty. But it shows what some of the brothers are capable of and their vengeful propensity to violence. Perhaps that is why Israel needs someone to keep an eye on them.
 
Joseph is either too naïve or too eager to please his father that he goes to find his brothers. Somewhere along the way, he gets lost. A nameless man finds him “wandering in the fields” (v.15). Apparently by his mannerisms, the stranger notices that Joseph is looking for something, and he asks, “What are you seeking?” (v.15). It is interesting that he asks, “What” instead of “Who.” Perhaps Joseph looked that lost. He thinks he is looking for someone, but the stranger suggests he is looking for something. Joseph doesn’t know that he's actually looking for trouble, but the stranger helps him along his way.
 
He points Joseph in the direction to find his brothers in Dothan, which is north of Shechem and further away from Egypt. Is the stranger being helpful by sending him further away from the place where he will end up as a slave? Or is the stranger delivering him into the brothers’ hands? I suppose that depends on who you think the stranger is in the story.
 
Is God the nameless stranger who helped the wandering Joseph find his way, even if that meant putting him in harm’s way? Or, is the stranger someone who just happened to be there and genuinely thought he was helping Joseph find what he was looking for? God could be in either of these scenarios.
 
God is sometimes the nameless stranger who notices that we are seeking something when we’re lost and wandering. We may think that we’re looking for someone when, in fact, God knows that we’re actually looking for something deeper. God hides in plain sight all around us to help us on our way, but God never promises that we won’t encounter life’s challenges.
 
God is sometimes present in the stranger who is minding their own business and just happens to overhear something that could help us. They are in the right place at the right time to be used by God. God is present when we’re the stranger too. We don’t know the whole unfolding of events the person will encounter, but we genuinely help them by pointing them in the right direction. If we knew the whole story, we might not help them on their way and choose to not get involved. God only asks us to be helpful to those that we can help, and trust God to do the rest.
 
Where is God in this story? Everywhere. God is in Israel’s instructions. God is in Joseph’s obedience and wandering. God is hidden as the stranger. God is the rescuer who works through Reuben. God is in Reuben’s secret intentions to save his brother. God is with Joseph in the empty cistern. God is with the Ishmaelites who pull Joseph out of the pit. God is bound with Joseph when he is sold into slavery. If you read the rest of Joseph’s story, you’ll see that God was with Joseph at every turn. Through each encounter with Potiphar and his wife, the baker and cupbearer, and even Pharoah, “The Lord was with Joseph” (Gen. 39:2). When God dreams a new dream for us, we will encounter many trials and tribulations along the way, but God will always be with us, moving us along to the next step.   
 
Reflection questions:
What are YOU seeking?
Who can help you find what you are looking for?
Remember a time when you were a helpful stranger to someone in need. How did it make you feel to be an anonymous helper? Has God been a helpful stranger to you?
Where do you see God in this story?
 
Action: Be a helpful stranger to someone who appears to be seeking.