Wow! At the end of the Lord's Day last night, walking across the church's parking lot, I raised my hands and my voice in praise. "God, You have blessed me beyond measure, poured good things in great abundance into my life, given me a place to serve You that is wonderful! Thank you!" It was, as you might conclude, the conclusion of a good day! We enjoyed good times of worship, shared in Communion, and dedicated the new cafe area last night. That last item is one reason I was praising Him. It isn't really a big deal, but it was another God-given dreams realized. I wanted to create a place in our church building that would be inviting, where people could sit and talk, strengthening our sense of community. And after a couple of years, or more, the "We Believe Cafe" is finished.
If you're a faithful reader, you know that I am long on duty, that I believe in pressing on, being faithful even when the going gets tough; but I am also dreamer. No, I do not waste time on the fantastic escapist dreams that some develop to avoid dealing with the gritty stuff of everyday life. God has set vision in me that I cannot push aside. He causes me to hope for changed lives, to see things that do not exist yet, and to work to bring them to reality. Many things conspire to keep those God-given dreams from being born - focus on my own resources instead of God's promises, fatigue when others just 'don't get it,' physical weaknesses, people who say 'it can't be done,' and spiritual forces that are always working against God and good! And yet, in the course of life, as I remain faithful to Him, He has allowed me to birth so many of my dreams; and for that I praise Him.
Do you dream? Do you know that God dreams great and glorious plans for you, dreams that He wants to pour into your life? In Ephesians 1, Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, exults: "God thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, ... It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." (The Message)
Hebrews says that through Christ, it is God's plan to "bring many sons to glory!" His plan includes a mature faith, deep devotion, developed spiritual gifts, and a fruitful life. It is a unique plan that uses your personality, your experiences, your situations along with the resources of Heaven to create a life that glorifies the Lord! And, His vision for you culminates with your reception into the Father's house, where you will spend eternity enjoying His Presence and love.
In your times of prayer and meditation, invite the Lord to inspire (the word literally means 'breathe into') you with new vision! Pray that He will allow you to dream. People of the Spirit need two sets of eyes: one they are born with that sees the world as it is and another that are God-given that lets them see the world as God wants it to be! That, Believer, is vision! The prophet Joel spoke of the Lord's work in our lives with these wonderful words of promise. "I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters. Your old men will dream, your young men will see visions. I’ll even pour out my Spirit on the servants, men and women both." (Joel 2:28-29, The Message)
Years ago, when my children were teenagers resisting the direction I was giving them, I would try to instill a vision in them of the kind of person I was trying to help them to become. They didn't always 'get it.' My hope was that by helping them to see past the moment, they would be motivated to choose to engage with life instead of just drifting with the crowd, that they would choose to resist the temptation to live in sloth and self-indulgence and work toward building a life that glorified God. Inspiring vision was a part of my godly duty as their father. Our Father in Heaven asks us to look higher, too. If we can catch glimpses of the glory He's planned for us, we will more readily say "yes, Lord" to the rigorous discipline that brings us to share in His purposes. Living to our full potential, becoming a child of glory, is not inevitable! 'But,' you say, 'it is the plan of God!' That is true, but He allows us the freedom to choose to embrace that plan.
Today, ask God to help you understand His purposes. Let Him paint a picture of the glory He's planned for you. It will not likely be the 'glory' that an earth-focused life envisions - great wealth, fame, celebrity. It will the glory of a well-developed character like that of Christ. It will be the glory of a worthy life that honors Him, that is filled with the mature fruit of the Spirit including love, joy, and peace in abundance. Then, "God will rejoice over you!" And, you too will know greater joy as He takes the situations and circumstances of life where you are, and shows you how to make those things into something of worth and value - living the dream!
_________________
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
All else be naught to me, Save that Thou art.
Be my best thought Both by day and by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my breastplate,my sword for the fight;
Be my whole armor, My source of true might;
Be my soul's shelter And be my strong tower;
Heavenward raise me, O God of all power!
High King of heaven, And heaven's bright Sun,
Grant me its joys When my journey is done;
Heart of my heart, Lord, Whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Be Thou My Vision© 1964, 1994 Selah Publishing Company, Inc. / Abingdon Press
CCLI License No. 810055
No comments:
Post a Comment