AUGUST 29

Proverbs 3:24

Something was chasing Anna, and she ran as fast as she could. She couldn’t see what was chasing her, but it was making all sorts of weird noises, and it was getting closer and closer. Suddenly the road seemed to end in midair, and she felt herself falling… falling… as if falling off a high cliff ! She heard herself screaming as she fell! It was probably her own screaming that woke her up. Yes… Anna had been dreaming!

Anna’s scream also woke her dad. He came into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “What’s the matter, Anna?” he asked. With a shaky voice, Anna told him about the dreadful “thing” that had chased her.

“Calm down, Anna. It was just a dream,” comforted Dad. “If you like, I’ll stay here until you fall asleep again, okay?” Anna nodded and snuggled down in her bed. Soon she was once again fast asleep. “My dream last night seemed so real,” Anna said the next morning. “Where do dreams come from?”

“That’s hard to say,” replied Dad. “Some scientists say they come from deep inside your subconscious mind and that they show some of the fears hidden there. However, what you think about just before bedtime could also affect your dreams. That’s one reason why it’s a good idea to read a good book or some Bible verses before going to bed.”

“I read once that some people think God talks to them through their dreams,” said Anna. “Does He?”

“In Bible times He often talked to His people through dreams,” replied Dad, “but not now. Now we have the Bible to guide us. These days we’re much better off trusting His written Word for direction in our lives, ratherthan trusting some dream we’ve had.”

Anna nodded. “My dreams are mostly pretty silly,” she said with a grin. “I don’t think I would care to count on them to guide me in any way!”

Thought: Are you careful about what you put into your mind just before bedtime? Do you play violent games, watch violent movies, or read books that may cause you unease? Stop these activities immediately!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to have the habit of reading a few verses from the Bible and praying just before going to sleep so I will have peaceful rest and sleep! Through the precious name of Jesus I pray, Amen.