Lenten Dreams

AM Psalm 42, 43 • 1 Samuel 2:1-10 • John 8:31-36
PM Psalm 48, 87 • Haggai 2:1-9 • 1 John 3:1-8

The story from Genesis today is the story of the Joseph interpreting dreams for two fellow inmates, Pharoah’s cupbearer (wine steward) and his baker. The former dreams of crushing grapes to make wine and the latter dreams of birds eating baked bread from the basket on top of his head. Joseph interprets these dreams (a God-given gift of his it seems) as indications of the events which will come to pass in three days. The cupbearer will be met by Pharoah with favor, the baker will be killed.

For the cupbearer, wine meant life. For the baker, bread meant death.

Those opposite outcomes, mirroring one another in the dreams and Joseph’s interpretations, remind me of Jesus and his relationship to bread, wine, dying, and living in three days’ time. Ancient imagery still holds power for our story too because we still experience fear, anxiety, and suffering. We also still experience hope.

In Lent we remember that these dual aspects (bread and wine, life and death, the cross and resurrection) are intertwined and inseparable. We cannot have one without the other.

Written by Emma Mitchell

Emma is the Youth Minister at St. Paul’s. When not serving the youth and families of St. Paul’s she can be found thrifting, crafting, and celebrating her grandmother who turns 90 today.