Dreams and Jesus

Last night I had a dream; an unusual dream:

I was to speak in chapel Monday morning (I thought it was Sunday night for most of my dream). I had just been notified of my obligatory speech, however, so it was pertinent that I use this night to prepare my message. I woke up at one point and remembered that is was actually Saturday night, but I still knew that I wouldn't have time to prepare my message if I didn't prepare it in my dream (I thought this out while I was awake...and while awake I still thought that I had this message to prepare). So, I went back to sleep and back to planning. I was flipping violently through Scriptures, scribbling out a rough outline, and trying to come up with a sufficient amount of information to present. I could sense that time was running out - as it felt like my night's sleep was almost over - and I only had a few disjoined ideas scribbled down. I could barely read my own hand writing. Frightened and nervous, I awoke. It was Sunday morning. Tomorrow was Monday, and I did not have to speak to the student body in chapel. What a relief.

While recalling this dream during church this morning, I tried to picture the outline that I had so hurriedly, but vividly, created during my dream. I tried to read the Scripture references in the outline, but couldn't remember them. Suddenly, a reference came to mind: Psalm 130. I ignored Pastor Gregory and flipped through the pages of my Bible to the passage in mind:

Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
2 O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentiveto my cry for mercy.
3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.


Verses 7 and 8 stuck out to me. I replaced 'O Israel' with my name:

"Melissa, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Melissa from all her sins".

I needed that more than anything today.