Oranges to Diet Orange Soda

No one can tell me that God does not speak to us in dreams. Last night I had a dream that helped me clarify my struggle with church.

I have been struggling for the past year to make some sense out of church. There are so many kinds and so much difference even in denominations. I don't agree with the way our denomination has been going and more specifically where the church we were in was moving. We have moved to a smaller church. I have been studying the Bible, reading some theology and many opinions of what church is suppose to be. Last night it became more clear to me.

  In my dream, I was an observer as the play went on around me. First, I saw Jesus sharing oranges with the disciples. Don't know why it was oranges. Some received whole oranges, some halves and some slices but they all received oranges. Everyone was happy with their oranges. There was no fighting between who received whole oranges and who received partial oranges. Everyone seemed happy with oranges.

Next, there were people going around passing out orange juice.  They were pouring large pitchers of orange juice. Everyone was excited to receive the orange juice. I was given a glass of orange juice.

Next, bottles of orange soda were going around. They were cold and refreshing.  They seemed to make everyone happy who received the orange soda.

Finally, came the diet orange soda. Not everyone liked the diet soda but they drank it anyway.

OK, now how does this dream help my in my journey through questions about church? Well, to me Christ gave us the purest Word(the oranges). The Word is perfect in its entirety. There is no reason to find anything else because it is the Word, God's Word.

Sometimes, I get an interpretation of the Word. (orange juice) It still has the taste and properties of the original. It is not the same but it is very close. Then there is the orange soda. Not the same properties of the original but it does have a taste that you know it was once the original. Finally, diet orange soda is given. It does not even taste like the original though it retains the name orange. It does refresh for a little while but leaves me wanting more.

Sometimes I drink diet orange soda when what I am really wanting is a real orange. Sometimes I read a book about the Bible instead of reading my Bible.

I know this is really a loose idea about God's word and His ways but it has really helped me clarify in my mind about God's word. I think churches can be the same way. I love being in a church where God's word is taught and preached on a regular basis. Sometimes it is nice to study a nice book about spirituality or  hear a sermon about living the Christian life but I always crave going  back to the Word.

God has always used dreams to speak to his people. I am now convinced that he still does and I am grateful that my children slept all night so that I could actually dream.

Comments

[Mommy22Ss]

Wow, what a deep dream how wonderful that you were able to interpret it so well. Very powerful. Good luck.

[Miss Roxie]

That was a long dream! You must have had a good night's sleep, and to wake up enlightened on top of that! A true blessing, you are a fortunate woman.
Oh, and for fun, there is a site called Freaky Dreams.com ... you can see what they have to say about Oranges. LOL.

[Katie Barr]

Wow, what a great dream!

Here is a thought that came to me while reading what you wrote: sometimes the sugar in the orange soda leaves me wanting a stronger sugary sweet taste than the natural sweetness of an orange and I find myself reaching for another soda when the real fruit would be much better.

[deputyheadmistress]

Perhaps because this is one of hte last things I read before going to sleep last night, I had a dream about you. REally. It was very interesting. You came to visit me and it was very exciting, and we were sitting down over tea, visiting and then you started espousing all *my* political opinions, and it scared me to death. I jumped up, spilling my tea and shouted, "Who are you?! You're not MY Athena!" And you weren't- this imposter started morphing into something bizarre and then I woke up.