Don’t be lured away from Him by the latest speculations about Him. The grace of Christ is the only good ground for life.
(Hebrews 13, The Message)
Have you ever been maligned, falsely accused and misunderstood by someone who should know better? Ouch. Nothing hurts quite like that. It might help to know you’re in good company. God finds Himself there, too. This is despite the fact He is a God Who can not lie. His nature, the same for all eternity, is perfect in goodness, faithfulness, and love. He already fully paid the debt of sin we couldn’t pay. Whoever receives that gift has open access to all He is.
I know I am fallible and that at times people’s criticisms are based in fact. But God is perfect in goodness and perfect in truth. The problem is a case of mistaken identity. I want to believe in the real deal, not a bad imitation. But my heart can get deceived. So I discovered a litmus test. It isn’t the only one, but it works for me. It unveils in vibrant Technicolor where my heart is with the real, living God. It is the question, “Where is my dream?”
This is not a dream disappearing like a vapor as I slip out of sleep into a new day. God deposited this dream when I wasn’t looking. It is a desire rooted in hope of His goodness and infinite plan.
I learned that the words “dream” and “create” have the same root in Hebrew. We are made in the image of the Creator. Our dreams carry strength to create. Just as the river shapes the land around it, God wants the dream in us to shape our world. Dreams are so precious, they are worthy of grand larceny. Armored trucks and guards don’t gather around litter. Vigilance to guard relates to value. When we consider our dreams negotiable and issues of life scream, the voice of our dreams become a whisper.
A “dream catcher” is at work. Simple distraction turns a few minutes in cyberspace into hours. A book waits to be written, a painting begun, a gift unveiled, as gaming consumes precious hours. The dream requires time. It also requires humility. Maybe the dream is in baby form. Pride says, “Why put yourself out there? Why risk failure?” Fear and intimidation raise their snarky voices, “Who do you think YOU are?” We might even hear covert dictators like, “OUR people don’t do that,” or “In THIS family, we…”.
A dream, like a young child, needs faith and encouragement. It thrives in affirmation and withers with undue criticism. Wise dream stewards are like good parents. They know a dream doesn’t need perfection to grow. They value the dream by guarding it. They know how lies stalk in dark alleys of discouragement and insecurity.
God forms the dream with great care, not as an off-handed toss. It develops by meticulous care, strategic planning and lots of faith. He listens as it unfolds like a song – first a hum, then a ditty, then a full symphony of hues and tones that fill the spirit, soul, and body with satisfying richness. Lord, give us ears for that song!
My heart bursts in its banks, spilling beauty and goodness. I pour out a poem to the King, shaping the river into words.
Psalm 45, The Message
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It was good to see you Saturday at the conference. I think the conference sessions and people I talked with are food for my dream project. Ugly fear still rears in my head from time to time. I think it is time for me to step out on faith!
Hey, now that’s what I’m talking about!! I agree!! It was great to see you, too. Interesting that the Lord caused our dreams to intersect right at the birthing time. Keep me in touch. 🙂