Around the age of 8 years, I remember having the same chronic nightmare. As I remember, when I would have this dream it would awaken me and I would be terrified. I remember not wanting to go to sleep at night because I didn’t want to have this bad dream. The fear was so real.
Now, looking back it was a really silly dream even though that wasn’t the case back then. While sleeping, I would see an image of an all white room that looked a lot like my great grandmother’s house. As I would see this room, it had a hazy, yet crisp look. While in this room some of the most pleasant classical music was playing. The best description of the emotions I would feel during this scene is peacefully nostalgic. It was great, the most favorite part of my dream.
As that part of my dream seemed to be developing, it would cut out, the light would be snuffed out and all of a sudden I could see a very dark, dirty and destructively terrifying garbage truck. The garbage truck made loud and scary mechanical sounds. As this image would be developed in my dream it would be accompanied by some very dark and dramatic music. The worst part of this dream was that it would cut back and forth from the peaceful dream to this terrifying portion of the dream, building up a suspenseful moment. This would happen until the moment where I was so close to the compactor it was as though I was being thrown in. And then I would wake up!
I remember when I was a student at my church school that we were taught that we can ask God for help and I did. This was a real terror for me until I asked Jesus for help. As I was thinking about this dream, I decided to unpack the various parts of my dream. I remember thinking that it was silly to be afraid of this dream. I thought, Ok, I love my great grandmother so no need to fear that. I know what garbage trucks do, and they aren’t scary. And I remember telling myself, and believing, there was nothing to worry about.
This week as we continue our START WITH WHY series, we will look at a story in John 5 where some simple beliefs turned into tradition. This tradition was rooted in faith, but it was the wrong kind of faith, and in fact, it was rather destructive and limiting. As Jesus arrived on the scene, He tackled this tradition at the core of its limitations. Jesus met a man in despair with the inability to accomplish more due to this bad tradition.
Jesus is in the business of breaking bad traditions, and if you let Him, Jesus will also help you over come the bad dreams in your life, whether they come at night or as a result of a lifestyle that you were a part of. For me, personally I have not had anymore nightmares, but in other areas of my life, my Savior is helping me overcome. Will you allow our Savior to do the same in your life?
– Pastor Geraldo
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