29 October 2010
Psalm 40, 54; Ecclus 34.1-8, 18-22; Rev 13.1-10; Luke 12.13-31

It is difficult to know when a dream is of the Lord. We cannot and indeed, must not, presume that anything we see in a dream or vision is from the Lord as we are filled with desires of every kind that might manifest themselves in the same way. In order to determine if a dream or vision is from the Lord we must do a simple thing, ask Him. I had a friend who once was truly given prophetic words and visions but along the way she developed a prideful spirit about this gift and became bitter and angry over anyone who dared question her. Over time, this spirit became a stumbling-block to her and her words became vicious and hate-filled and her visions and dreams became simple manifestations of her own desire to see harm to those whom she despised. We must be careful with dreams and visions that they not become an extension of our own desires.

Jesus warns here against allowing the desires of our hearts to rule our lives. It would have been common in disputes over inheritance to ask a teacher or lawyer to make a determination concerning the fairness of the disposition in the same way we take such cases to court today. Jesus, however, refuses to enter the dispute but instead questions the motivation of the request, more for me and less for thee. He uses the parable of the man with a bumper crop who builds bigger barns, a proper solution to the dilemma in most cases but does it take into consideration the needs of others. He chooses to content his soul in the abundance of his possessions rather than in the Lord. In this teaching Jesus is not calling us to Christian nihilism as the creation is good, it cannot, however, keep us from the best without losing the character of good.

The dragon gives power to an earthly ruler who is known as the beast and the whole earth goes after the beast except those whose names have been written in the Lamb’s book of life. John expresses amazement that the world follows this beast as it seems so obvious to him from the perspective of heaven that this is an abomination. Perspective makes all the difference. From an earthly perspective it will not seem so clear that this is actually a hideous thing but from John’s vantage point in the revelation he sees through God’s eyes. That same discernment is available to us if we are willing to let go of the desires that entangle us and hinder us from seeing clearly. Our vision is clouded by desire and earthly ambition and we lack discernment.

Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.
You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.