A friend of mine asked for help in interpreting a dream a couple of weeks ago. In the dream she was looking for a promotion - which makes a lot of sense as she has been looking for the 'what's next' for a while now. Her surname in Zinn, so in her dream she was looking to move up in the alphabet - sort of like a roll call in a classroom. She found herself promoted to 'Q' which was not quite where she wanted to be. Then she was promoted again to 'P'. What did this mean??
I like dream interpretation - things are never quite what they seem to be. Objects and people in dreams are never quite literal. Dreams can be from our bodies or souls - like the struggles you find when you are just too hot and restless or with an upset stomach. But they can also be spiritual and a means by which God speaks to us. And so prophetic type interpretation can come into place. In the end, prophetic dream interpretation can be quite playful - it is all about looking for a meaning that sits well with the owner of the dream.
I know my friend - Mrs Zinn, is looking for a new beginning and some new meaning and purpose in her life. I am kind of in that place in my life right now too. I was thrilled that she asked me to help decipher her dream. It is a no-brainer that she often finds herself last on a list of people called up on a roll. It must feel like each time, she is missing out in some small way and she needs to wait until the end. There are not too many people around with 'Z' surnames. There are lots of people around with surnames starting with the first few letters of the alphabet. It also struck me that 'P' stands for a few things - promotion, purpose, progress and the prophetic. And my friend enjoys painting and investing in people and places. If this is the case, the 'Q' possibly stands for the 'not quite', the quiet things or times when God doesn't speak. There are very few 'Q' words around. It's really quite empty. And so 'Q' is not where she wants to be. Close to 'P'- but just falling short.
It has occurred to me that maybe we all need to go through the Q's of life (where we wait and wait and things fall a little short of our expectations), in order to get to the place of 'P' - peace and prosperity. The promised land if you like. The Israelites wandered through the desert for 40 years and a whole generation passed before they entered the land flowing with milk and honey. Maybe it's the same for us when looking for the place of promotion and purposes fulfilled??
Even after the Israelites walked through the miraculously parted Red Sea and they witnessed the whole of the Egyptian army being swallowed up in the water, the people grumbled against God and Moses, as they had nothing suitable to eat or drink for 3 days (Exodus 15:22- 16:3). The Lord provided for them in the desert - Manna (bread), quail (kind of like chicken I imagine) and water. But the people remained disobedient and didn't trust in God, keeping the food overnight despite Moses' instructions not to, and they were looking for food on the Sabbath, when they had been told to take a rest. Maybe they got tired of chicken sandwiches for every meal? It just didn't work out for them (Exodus 16: 17-30). Even with this supernatural food appearing on a daily basis, they continued to quarrel with Moses, putting God to the test (Exodus 17:1-4). And so God gave them the 10 commandments - the very first one being that they needed to recognise who God is, and the very second one being about idols and images which can take the place of God in our affections.
Exodus 20: 1-6
And God spoke all these words:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, I am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
Needless to say, the very next thing they did, was to make a Golden Calf (Exodus 32); a idol similar to what they were accustomed to in Egypt. Something to worship and place their affections upon as Moses was a little slow in coming down from the mountain where he was enquiring of the Lord. They were just a little unsure and restless.
Was God's material provision for them not enough? Had they spent too long in slavery, that they couldn't change their ways or think for themselves?? Is it the same for us? Is this the human condition that we all live with? I think I would get tired of chicken sandwiches pretty quickly too!
I think it is in many ways. I know I try to work it all out myself, and money/ income becomes the one thing I live for. My own self gain. I like to be friends with the nice people, to be comfortable and to build up my little empire - in my own strength. If I start to think in any other way, fear creeps in and it is all too hard. God is no longer on the throne of my life, and my faith dwindles very quickly. That golden calf rears its ugly head again. How to get to that promotion and to the P's in life? How do we get out of the 'Z' position on the roll call in a Godly way?
The first things that come to mind are a whole lot of 'P's! Patience, prayer, recalling promises / prophetic words, and perseverance. I am not doing this to be poetic (more P's - they really are quite prolific) but these really are the ways I know of how to follow God.
Firstly, patience and prayer - sometimes we have not because we ask not, and our focus wanders elsewhere. The bible is full of people waiting and praying for answers. So focusing on the word of God is a good place to start. My experience is largely of answered prayer in the waiting and seeking, and the following psalm is quite dear to my heart:
Psalm 40 (New Living Translation)
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.
God's ways are always better than what we can work out in our own strength! Chicken sandwiches or otherwise.
If anyone knew what it was to wait on God and to keep on trusting, it was David. He had Saul, who was king at the time, hunting him down out of jealousy, to take his life. He was on the run. And yet David had his chances and could not kill Saul. Instead he recognised God's anointing on Saul to be King of Israel, and he waited and trusted - pretty much beyond human reason. He really was a man after God's own heart. He waited patiently for his deliverance and for his promotion to King - not in his own strength but in God's.
Which brings us to the next point - that like David, we can recall God's promises and his faithfulness. I know of a Christian leader who, in any time of trouble, will pull out all of his prophetic words and set them in front of him. He will remember God's faithfulness to date and he will set the compass of his heart (if you like) on these words and promises that have been given to him. Even if they don't make too much sense. Needless to say, he also spends a lot of time in God's word. If we don't have our own prophetic words, this is a pretty good place to start.
I know of another prophetic Christian leader who felt that God had promised him a building for his ministry, and even had a visual picture in his mind of what it looked like. So he went seeking and hunting and he actually found the physical place that he had seen in his mind. He put an offer in at a reduced price and lo and behold - it was accepted. Praise God for his faithfulness!! I am not sure I would have had that level of faith.
A number of years I went through quite a difficult season - and the very first day that something went wrong in a series of adverse events (a family friend was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed a mastectomy) - I asked God where he was in it all, and I received a picture that very much represented hope, resurrection power and the redemptive purposes of God. It was a picture that got me through the tough times; the valley of the shadow of death - indeed with a hope to stand on, of better things to come. He is faithful. I now have some other prophetic words and dreams that have yet to come to pass. But I know he is faithful, and I really do need to believe enough to go hunting after them a bit.... And yet it is hard. Like the Israelites, and despite God coming through in the past, I have some doubts (they are just dreams after all) and I would almost rather take the easy path of just being happy where I am at. My life is quite comfortable really.... Why complicate things?
Proverbs 3: 1- 6
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
There are a few 'P's there! I really would like peace, prosperity, a prolonged life and straight paths!! I really do need to believe and submit to the things of God in my life. The Lord's ways are higher than our ways, and we just really don't quite fully comprehend things sometimes. I also have friends that have fallen away from their faith because the things of God don't quite match up with their experience in life. This grieves my heart. I can do life without a few creature comforts and I don't always understand the 'why' of the desert season - of chronic physical and mental illness, but despite the disappointments in life, I would not like to turn away from God. I will praise Him, trust Him and wait for my promotion. I will never be entitled, and even if I don't see some of the answers in this life, I will trust in my God (but I would like to think I will!).
We all would like to think we are making progress and can be open to promotion. Minding your P's and Q's as a phrase literally means minding your manners and paying attention to the small details. Maybe a little action and attention to detail, is the perfect path to ponder.
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