Greater than you

Nehemiah listened to the men tell about what they saw on their long trip to Jerusalem, or what remained of the city. He remembered the stories his mother told of the splendor of God's Temple, of the shining city on the hill, which was called God's own city! Now he heard of broken down walls, ruins where the temple had once stood in honor of God, and something deep inside of him stirred. The Bible says, "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept." We know something else happened, too. Nehemiah was seized with a vision to rebuild Jerusalem. A man living in a foreign capital that was more than a month's long travel from Jerusalem 'saw' a new city arising from the ruins. The rest of his life was consumed with making it happen. That's what we call - vision!

We all get excited about a dream, don't we? But we need to remember that dreams are usually, born out of great need and/or deep sorrow. Neither need nor sorrow are things we willingly experience. But, if we will not feel or see the pain that is around us, or even allow ourselves to experience our own sorrow, it is not likely we will dream large. Left to ourselves we will choose the safest route, the way that is well traveled, and take it! We need to be disturbed. In the upheaval, God finds an opening to plant the seed of a dream in us. A growing vision pulls us off the road into the pits of life. Vision makes us dangerous! And, vision is very costly. Nehemiah's good life in the palace of King Artaxerxes was over the moment he started to dream about Jerusalem. He left a safe city to journey in the places where bandits roved, to work harder than he had ever worked before in his life. He exchanged good for great!

Are you in a situation that causes you great pain? Or is there some circumstance that you see, day after day, that breaks your heart?

Consider that from that very soil God may be wanting to grow a vision for transformation in you!

Joni Eareckson Tada was an athletic young women who dove into the Chesapeake Bay and broke her neck. She survived, but without use of her body due to paralysis! Surrounded by other people in similar circumstances, she hated what she had become and wished for death. But then God broke through and gave her a vision. She went on to become the founder of a national ministry of encouragement, has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people over the last 30 years, and written about knowing God's hope in the middle of devastation!

Don't be one of those people who focuses his dreams on Self: who looks for a way to escape 'real life' with some quick fix, instant access to money, a new lover, or something equally selfish! That is not at all what God wants for you. Instead, take the situations of your life - good and bad, desirable and not so wonderful, 'hopeless' and promising - and lay them out before God. With faith like that of a little child simply ask Him - "Lord, what can you do with all of this?" Declare Christ the Lord of all and start to serve Him, right where you are, doing the things you know are right. Love, serve, worship, give, pray, love more... and allow God to lead you into His purposes. If you're looking for easy, don't even start! Easy is not what God is about. Leave that to Staples!

Take to heart the words that Paul gave to his spiritual son, Timothy- "...fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you ... For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7, NLT) And expect Him to fulfill this promise: "Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." (Ephesians 3:19-20, The Message)

Got problems? Start looking for that emerging vision that God can give, to make a change - first in you, then in your world!
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Fill all my vision, Savior I pray.
Let me see only Jesus today,
Though thro' the valley
Thou leadest me,
Give me Thy glory and beauty to see.

Fill all my vision, Savior divine.
'Til with Thy glory, my Spirit shall shine.
Fill all my vision that all may see,
Thy holy image reflected in me.

Fill all my vision,
Every desire keep for Thy glory.
My soul inspire with Thy perfection,
Thy holy love flooding my pathway

Fill All My Vision
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