What do you dream about, and what does it mean? Read Daniel 2:19-23. Scientists have been studying dreams for years, trying to interpret their meaning. They have determined that sleep has four stages. Stage one is falling asleep when we transition from consciousness to unconsciousness. Stage 2, called N2, is when brain and muscle activity decreases. Stage 3 is called 'Slow Wave' sleep. Our heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing decrease. Dreaming can begin in this stage. These are called sensory dreams, where we can see and hear, but we are not full participants in the dream. Sleepwalking and talking can happen during stage 3. If one is awakened during this stage, there is a period of grogginess before becoming fully awake. Stage 4 is called "REM" or Rapid Eye Movement. Brain activity increases as we have vivid dreams in which we participate. The REM stage produces the dreams that we remember in the morning. If we are curious about our dreams, we will often wonder what they mean. King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that disturbed him, and he gathered all his smartest people to interpret his dream. When they asked him what his dream was about, he responded that they would have to figure out the dream as well. If they couldn’t tell him his dream and what it meant, he promised to have them all cut to pieces. Then the king gave the order to execute all the wise men. Daniel and his friends began to pray and asked God to reveal the dream and its meaning. God answered Daniel’s prayer. Daniel told the king, and the wise men were saved. Today, we are often quick to dismiss our dreams. I’m not saying every dream is from God or has a deep spiritual significance. However, there may be times when God is communicating to us through dreams. Our job is to seek God's direction and be sensitive to the times that God is trying to reach us. Certainly, there are times when God does attempt to reach us through dreams.

Come Holy Spirit, speak to us, for we are listening. Speak to us in the still small voice. Speak to us through Scripture. Speak to us through dreams. We open ourselves to you. Amen.