Turning God's dreams into reality

Dreams by their very nature are unrealistic. If you can remember any of your recent dreams they probably do not reflect real life. They often, in my experience, take a jumble of memories and recent experiences and mix them up into an interesting hotchpotch of events. If you are fortunate they may construct into a pleasant, even funny story and if not they may create a frightening nightmare.

I had an interesting dream last night. It involved a new photo album we had ordered from an online company and though it was full of our photos, one page was different in that instead of being just one photo it was a slideshow of photos as you might see on your computer. I was recounting the dream to my husband and commented on the absurdity of it when he remarked that it wasn’t completely foolish. He then outlined how it could become a reality. I was amazed.

It made me realise though that the dreams God gives us, though appearing unrealistic, are actually meant to become true. The great dreamer Joseph is a case in point. He was the 11^th son of Jacob, a fairly well to do shepherd but hardly born for the high life. He dreamt that he was out in the fields and his brothers’ sheaves of corn bowed down to his sheaf. He then dreamt that the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed to him, meaning his parents as well as his brothers. Unfortunately, being young and foolish he told his brothers and parents about his dreams and they were very unimpressed, so much so that Judah and the brothers had no difficulty selling Joseph to a travelling caravan of Midianites who took him off into a life of slavery and imprisonment in Egypt.

It was here though that he honed his dreaming and administrative skills so that when he was called upon to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams he was confidently able to bring the word of the Lord to Pharaoh and save not just the nation but also his family. His original dreams were fulfilled but over 20 years later. God gave Joseph his dreams, not so he could brag about them to his brothers but to encourage him to persevere through the hard preparation years into his destiny.

In all the difficult circumstances of betrayal, lies, misjudgements, false imprisonment and rejection Joseph never lost sight of God. He was Joseph’s focus though I am sure there were times when Joseph dismissed his dreams as the vain imaginings of a young man. But God was working out his plans even in the midst of all the disappointments so that when the time came Joseph was ready, prepared by the events of his life.

We are often encouraged not to let go of our God given dreams, to stir them into life and this is important but of greater importance is to focus on the Lord in the good times, the bad times and the downright awful times. There may be occasions when our dreams seem like the vain imaginings of another era but with our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, we can ask him to prepare us for the fulfilment of our dreams.

Our God dreams are meant to be fulfilled. They are not meant to be the unrealistic ramblings of our sleeping minds. God’s dreams come true. They are there to inspire us to persevere in all the seasons of our lives but fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12: 2) we will see our dreams become reality.  

Paying the price for what you believe in

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. Luke 9:51

 It is never easy to see something you believe in come to fruition. It will usually be both costly and sacrificial.

The London Olympics is just a few weeks away and at the moment the Olympic torch is touring the nation.  It is humbling to hear how people got a vision in 1997 to see the Olympics come to London and believed in it enough to resolutely pursue it. They have had to persevere through trials and difficulties, through disappointments and victories to see the fulfilment of the vision. Now they are seeing their dream come true.

For many ordinary people their lives are being transformed by the honour of carrying the Olympic torch even a short distance. The onlookers too are greatly touched as they watch these people carrying the torch, some of whom have also had to overcome great difficulties in their lives . It isn’t just about famous sportspeople but ordinary men and women.

Jesus had to resolutely overcome every difficulty to fulfil the vision he had of sinners being saved through his death on the cross. No one has endured what Jesus did to conquer sin and death.  Paul also had to endure many hardships to fulfil the vision he had of reaching the Jews and Gentiles with the Gospel and in the process he gave the Church the most wonderful teachings on Kingdom life.

You too may be carrying a vision that is requiring great perseverance to see come to fruition. It is never easy but it will be worthwhile. Others will reap the benefit of your diligence.

One of my favourite songs by Point of Grace goes, ‘When I said that I would follow, it was with an honest heart but I never fully understood the cost. But there are saints throughout the ages and there are those today who show us what it really means to carry the cross.’

Let’s remember with gratitude those who have gone before us and persevered for something we may take for granted today. Let’s also persevere with the vision God has given us to see that which we believe in come true.

Where there is no vision

Where there is no vision, the people perish Proverbs 29: 18

People with no vision just cannot see things no matter what you say. It is like a mist over their eyes. Today we went to a very beautiful part of the country and were told that the views were magnificent but we couldn’t see it because there was a heavy sea mist!  Fortunately the mist cleared, the sun came out and we discovered for ourselves how lovely the views were.

People with no vision are like that – no matter how much you try and explain what you know to be true they cannot see it. This can be the case for those who do not know the Lord yet. We try and explain how wonderful God is and how much he loves us but they just cannot see it. They need the Holy Spirit to blow away the mists of misunderstanding, deception, doubt and unbelief so they can see for themselves that what you say is true.  

However it can also be a problem for Christians who desperately need the revelation of God’s ways and vision for the future. Too often we are hampered by doubts and disappointments from the past when things may have not worked out the way we had hoped or when people have let us down.  We too need the Holy Spirit to blow away our doubts and disappointments and give us fresh vision so we can see the way ahead that God has planned for us.

As the verse shows, no vision means people perish – they have nothing to live for. Of course this does not necessarily mean literally but people’s hopes and dreams die when there is no vision. People’s faith begins to wither when there is no sense of purpose, calling or destiny. God wants us to have vision so let’s blow the dust off our past hopes and dreams and look afresh at what God has spoken over our lives. Let’s renew our destiny and calling.

I encourage you to go back and look at things that God has spoken directly to you or maybe others have told you and let God re-envision you with his hope and his plans for your future.

Isaac the sacrifice

Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about. Genesis 12:2

I wonder what Isaac thought about the expedition to sacrifice him. We know that on the third day of their travels as they were climbing the mountain to offer the sacrifice, Isaac asked his father about the lamb for the burnt offering (Genesis 22:7). Abraham’s wonderful words of faith that God would provide must have been like a knife in his heart. He knew who the offering was going to be even of Isaac didn’t.

However it is almost certain that Isaac was not a small boy but an adolescent at this time and in verse 9 it says that Abraham bound Isaac and laid him on the wood of the fire. Was it at this point that Isaac realised he was the burnt offering? Abraham was over 100 years old and though no doubt fairly fit from his life of farming, I am sure Isaac would have been able to resist his father’s attempt to make him the sacrifice. He must have agreed or at least not resisted being bound and laid on the altar. Why?

My only conclusion is that he had great faith and trust in both God and his Father. He must have realised that if he was the lamb to be slain, there was a good reason. Isaac had to trust that either God would provide a lamb or he would be it. I find this level of trust very inspiring but also daunting.

I doubt if any of us will be required to make that level of sacrifice but we may well have to give to God our most cherished dreams, plans, hopes and if God does not provide a ‘ram’ they may have to die. There have been times in my life when I have had to hand over to others something that I have poured my heart and life into. I have also had to watch a once fruitful ministry die because God’s hand was no longer on it. To this day I do not know why but I do know I did the right thing painful though that was.   

I pray today you may have grace to do this if necessary and to trust God with all your most cherished dreams and hopes. So whether you continue with them for years or feel the time is come to hand them on you will have the confidence to know what God’s will is.  He is faithful and can be totally depended on.