Sunday, December 10, 2006

Dreams

Have you ever been accused of being a dreamer? I have. I remember once in seminary an older minister told me that I was too idealistic and that I would be disillusioned and out of the ministry before I was thirty. Well thirty came and went awhile ago and here I am, still dreaming about what the church could be. And if you think about it, Christ said He would build His church, so with Christ as our builder we should dream big.

There is a dreamer in the Old Testament by the name of Joseph. In Genesis 37, young Joseph had a dream that God would make him great. As he shares his dreams with his family, they not only criticize and mock him, they can’t stand having him around anymore, so they sell Joseph into slavery. His life takes several more tragic turns and you would think the dream is dead. But despite the lies, the hardship, and prison time Joseph endures God still makes the dream a reality. When God gives a dream, no matter the present circumstances, the dream will come to pass.

There was another dreamer named Joseph this time in the New Testament. Joseph, the man God called to be Jesus’ step dad. In what seemed to be a bad and awkward situation God gave Joseph a dream. God let Joseph know that He up to something big. Mary’s pregnancy was a part of God’s plan to bring His Son, Jesus, into the world so that He could “save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) Joseph was bold enough to believe in the dream. I’m sure it wasn’t always easy, but Joseph knew that when God gives a dream, He will take care of the details.
Do you have a dream from God? If so, hold on to the dream. He will bring it to pass. If not, talk with God and ask Him to plant a dream in your heart. A dream so big that it’s something only He could do.