I Dreamed of Zombies

Last week I was hit, once again, by congested sinuses, sore throat and a cough. It's still hanging around, but improving daily. It's worse in the morning, hacking up all the overnight collection of crud, and late evening, beginning to collect said crud. Sorry to be gross, but this IS about zombies, so what did you expect? Anyway... I spent one morning last week studying 1st and 2nd Peter, and that evening I rested and entertained myself with Arsenic and Old Lace and The 'Burbs - two hilarious comedies with rather dark tales of buried bodies. That night, I dreamed of zombies.

Now, this was the second dream I'd had of zombies in the past month! That got my attention, since I had never before had dreams of that particular subject; even after watching such intellectual selections as Night of the Living Dead, Zombieland and The Walking Dead. Furthermore, I secretly despise zombie movies. They are just too gross for me. So, why do I watch them?

1. They're hilarious! "Ooohh! Walk a little faster! The slow, shambling, rotting zombie might catch us!"
2. I am intrigued by the survivalist aspect of a zombie apocalypse (or alien invasion, robots taking over the world or other life-as-we-know-it-has-suddenly-changed-and-we-must-adapt scenarios)
3. I love a good hunt movie, especially if mankind is the prey and must turn the tables to hunt down the predator shark, alien, reanimated corpse, etc.
4. It's a geek thing...

I've digressed....

Back to the dreams! The first zombie dream was set in a junkyard. Cars were stacked all around to form a large maze. There were zombies wandering randomly around the maze. They didn't know that I was there, so I was sneaking around, trying desperately to avoid them as I found my way out of the maze. I had been very successful in avoiding them and staying hidden. I wasn't afraid, just annoyed at all the zombies I had to avoid. I wanted out! Finally, I found the exit. It was a large tunnel made of cars and it was full of zombies! I was going to have to crawl through these cars and fight the zombies to get out. I looked and looked for another way, but there was no other escape. I found a large pipe to use as a weapon; then I started into the tunnel of cars, knocking zombies out of my way as I went. Suddenly, I woke up!

The last dream was essentially the same dream, except that it took place in a building with a maze of hallways. I was staying hidden from the wandering zombies, as I looked for escape. The exit of the building was a large foyer filled with zombies! Again, I was not afraid, just annoyed by all the undead in my way. I found a baseball bat and started clearing a path to the door (where's a good shotgun when I need it?). Again, I woke up before making the escape. In both dreams, I had a sense of concern about being overwhelmed by the zombies, but no fear of being devoured by them. It was like I knew that I would escape, I just didn't want to get close to them. I was concerned about being bitten and infected - about becoming one of them. But there was no fear. The zombies were not really aggressive. They were very slow and only noticed me when I was upon them.

I didn't give the first dream much thought, but after the second dream, I realized there was something to this pattern. So, I prayed for the Lord to give me the interpretation of the dream. (Ha! You knew it! You knew I'd get spiritual about this somehow!) I do believe that the Lord speaks to us in dreams and will give us the interpretation if we simply ask. And, of course, He did.

The zombies in my dream represent flesh. That's what zombies are, reanimated flesh with no soul or spirit. They represent aspects of my own carnal nature. Aspects that I have been avoiding. Things that have been a problem, or a nuisance, but that I have not wanted to confront. So, I've walked around in the same confining maze, avoiding the issue. The dreams revealed to me that it's time to escape. The issues are no immediate threat, but they have the potential to overwhelm and destroy me. Getting out is going to be a battle, but it's one that I already know I can win. I'm not afraid, I just don't want to go through the hassle. But, if I'm going to move forward in my life, I have to get out of the maze. I can do it. I have the weapons - the iron pipe and the bat represent God's Word. Speaking His truth over my life and situations will subdue my flesh. I think that I woke up in the middle of the battle because of my desire to avoid it. Upon waking, both times, I knew that the dreams would have ended with me coming out the other side unscathed, victorious.

So, I've done some examining of myself this week to see what needs to change. My faith has gotten weak in some areas. I need to strengthen it. I need to take better care of my health. I need to prioritize some things differently. I need to let some things go. The last two months have been a wonderful rest after winning my last great battle (over depression). But, it's time to step into battle again and take on some other foes.

At first, I thought my choice of movies had caused me to have such a dream; but upon reflection, I think it more likely that my dream sprang from my selected Bible study:

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. ~ 1Peter 4:1-2

We must suffer in the flesh (battle the zombies) to cease from sin (escape the maze). That we no longer live the rest of our lives trapped in the maze of the undead, but are free to pursue the will of God.

~~~

Note: The sketch featured at the top of this blog is the first sketch I did in a series entitled Free. It was done in about 1991 and depicted the process of pulling free from all the things of life that try to drag us down and hold us back. The latest installment to this series is featured at the bottom of this blog. It is a digital painting that was done around 2005. Notice the transitions in the second one: color, more detail, less entangled and (my favorite) the woman now has a mouth.