It's Good to be a Dreamer

Dreams have always fascinated me. I am not someone who dreams every night (that I’m aware), but when I do it is always interesting to try and figure out if there are any meanings therein. Throughout my adult life, I have had three recurring dreams that involve three different houses. Each dream where I end up at one of these houses, I remember visiting the houses before and only one house is in each dream. One house is a very small and neglected house. It is similar to my first home that was a small, 600-ish square foot, four-room house deep in a wooded rural area. In my dream, this house has apparently been abandoned for years and has evidence that someone has broken in and been living there, however I never see them. The second dream house is a much larger house along a coast similar to that of Maine. It is a large Victorian style home with ornate gingerbread trim, turrets, and cupolas all around. A large porch wraps all four sides of the house with a spectacular view over the ocean and rocky cliffs. The house is also neglected, empty, and weathered. The shadowy and musty interior is full of sheet-covered furniture and each time I visit the house, I find new rooms and delight in uncovering items to see the original style of the room. At times, I also discover stairways and hallways leading to other floors, but always end up at the back of the house that has large screened panels facing the sea.
The third house is a modern day house, but extremely large and lavishly appointed. There are several floors with bedrooms, media rooms, wonderful wood paneling, balconies, hot tubs, indoor and outdoor gardens with ponds with more to see each time. The consistent fact of each of these houses is that I am the only one at each house and no matter whether it is day or night; I feel a sense of security, peace, and “being at home.” Not long ago, I had a difficult night sleeping and I found myself saying aloud, “oh, if I could only get to the big beach house, I know I could fall asleep in a minute.” Before you start thinking I am a total loon, let me get to the point.
Whatever the purpose of these recurring dream houses might be, the only thing I feel is memorable is the feeling that they are there just for me. Whoever may have come before my visits prepared them, may have lived in them, but now they were left for me as a respite from the stress and daily grind of life. I do know that when I wake up after one of these dreams, I am more refreshed than usual, remember many details, and have a sense of longing to return.
Jesus’ followers worried about what would become of them when Jesus was no longer present with them. He gave them the promise and assurance that provisions were being made as they spoke. Jesus said, “many mansions were being prepared for them in Heaven where they would live forever in the presence of God.” This was meant to be a comfort to people of those days as well as us today. God is preparing houses for all believers for eternity. Houses of security, peace, and a feeling of “home.” Imagine no more broken appliances or leaks.
Just as my dream houses are all different sizes and types, they all give me the sense of peace and looking forward to getting there. I can’t imagine the type of home I’ll have in God’s heaven, but I know I am looking forward to going home to see….big, small, lavish, simple…..it will be home.
And for today my friends, this has been the gospel according to Jimmy.