Lies, Lies,Dreams, Dreams

Lies, Lies,Dreams, Dreams

                                           El Lahun, Pyramid of Senusret II, Egypt

                                           Photographer: Einsamer Schütze

A pagan Pharoah, believed to be Senusret II, slept fitfully. A troubling dream woke him and caused him deep concern. Even in the morning it was still vivid, not like the other crazy dreams he had that always vanished with the morning light. This one was different and hauntingly different. Over breakfast he spoke to his staff about this and the possible meaning. Something he ate or an omen? 

Through a series of inquiries the royal assistants learned about Joseph’s ability to accurately interpret dreams and sent for him to appear before Pharoah. Where was Joseph summoned from? A place called rock bottom or the pits, a jail cell; unjustly incarcerated by a false accusation. 

A lie sold Joseph into slavery, another false witness led to his incarceration. 

                                           Egyptian Bronze Age Prisoners

God spoke to a king who revered Horus, Anubis and Ra through a dream interpreted by a Hebrew prisoner. God used a pagan king to elevate this prisoner from a Bronze Age jail. Two men met by Divine appointment. Two nations saved from famine, Joseph and family reconciled. (Genesis 41)

Jesus, late Iron age rabbi, was also lied about, mocked, crucified then sealed in a tomb.  It was hoped that with the closing of the stone seal on the grave opening that the mouth of the teacher would be silenced forever. God used a former prostitute to discover that the rabbi had risen from the dead. "Mary don't touch me," Jesus said when Mary Magdalene naturally reached out to him. " I have not yet returned to my Father," the Living Christ replied. She was charged to go and tell the Good News to the grieving disciples, Mary the woman who would have been stoned for adultery from whom demons were driven out became Mary, the first evangelist,  John 20:15-18.

Because of lies, deceit, mockery or abuse the potential given us by God may be bound in grave wrappings and sealed.  Hopes, dreams trampled on the ground by the very people who proclaim righteousness but pile on stones of judgement. Jesus proclaimed he came to set the captive free. A rocky tomb sealed with a boulder could not silence Christ. God has the final Word. Believe, Mary did.

Luke 4:14-20

4 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 

    to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

No one wants to talk about dying....

No one wants to talk about dying these days, yet in order for there to be a resurrection there has to be a death. A snow flake has to give it's beautiful crystalline uniqueness up, melting away, so that the it's life giving water may be released for the growing and nuture of the greening spring plants. Our hearts too must melt into the liquid of God's holy love, but no one wants to talk about dying these days. It is a sometimes scarey and often painful process to open the shell of the self and expose the heart within.

Jesus restores hardened hearts that are dead in sin as he restores people that have passed away. Which is more difficult?Jesus was notified when his friend Lazarus became ill. It was hoped that he would go directly and heal heal him as he had done for so many other, so many times before. But this time, Jesus lingered and did not rush to Lazarus. After a few days, when he finally went to see him, Lazarus, he was told had died and was buried in a tomb. Jesus then went to the tomb, and asks that the stone be removed from the entrance. Martha reminds him then that the body would smell, as Lazarus has now been dead for four days. Jesus replies to Martha, "Didn't I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?" and then yells for Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Lazarus emerges from the tomb all wrapped up in strips of grave cloth. Jesus then tells everyone to unbind Lazarus' wrappings and let him go free. (John 11:1-44)

Frank Sinatra made popular a song written by Paul Anka called "My Way". It is a song about a man nearing the end of his life. The last stanza goes like this: "For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught. To say the things he truly feels; And not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows -And did it my way!" A song of defiance till the end, based on worldly wisdom and a self will. Kingdom wisdom says: " If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful." (2Tim:2:11-13) We are not to do it "My way" but " His Way". He is the Potter, we are the clay, how often we forget.

Jesus was able to raise "definitely dead' Lazarus and enlisted the aid of his friends, family and others gathered to unbind him so that he could be free. When we die to our selfish desires for the sake of Christ, we can count on a spiritual resurrection and the support of a community of faith for support. Surely restoring a soul is just as possible with God as raising a body dead for four days.

When I find myself singing "My Way" I know it is time then to draw near to God and allow him to melt my heart, once again. No one wants to talk about dying, but for our own good, and for the good of the Kingdom, we are advised to tell our faults and shortcomings to one another and pray for one another that we may be healed. My New Years resolution is to do it His way more than my way, by his grace.