What are some dreams that you have had about being used by God?

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”  (Proverbs 29:18 KJV)

“If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed.” (The Message)

So many meanings to the word dream: to think, imagine, have ideas. An internet search reveals over 200 million sites related to that one word! People of renown have used the word to inspire and challenge: “I have a dream” (Martin Luther King, Jr.); “Nothing happens without a dream.” (Carl Sandburg); “Hold fast to dreams.” (Langston Hughes).

Of all people, followers of God should dream big because God is the reason for our dreaming. From the beginning of time it has been His plan that all people everywhere know of His great love. He used ”and continues to us” men and women and His creation to tell the story, and the ultimate message became His very Son.

With God’s goal in mind and His Holy Spirit to empower us, we can look at the needs of the world and dream about how God would want those needs met.

When God challenged Moses to lead the people out of Egypt, He asked, “What is that in your hand?”  God had a dream and was ready to use Moses in the fulfillment of the dream, even when what he had in his hand looked like a mere stick of wood.

We would do well to consistently look at what is in our “hands”, consider God’s vision for the world and then dream big about how He might use us. We must constantly encourage our children and grandchildren along these same lines. Involve them early in projects where they see how their seemingly small efforts contribute to the fulfillment of God’s dream, projects such as making sandwiches for the homeless, meeting missionaries, going on short-term mission trips and living out God’s vision of love with those around them, especially towards the un-lovely.

When we open our eyes to God’s dream: “what God is doing” and then “attend to what He reveals” we will be blessed.

Father, I stand in awe of exactly how big your dream is. Then I am humbled by the understanding that you have chosen me to help accomplish that dream. Guide my imagination and my dreams so that they line up with yours.

What are some dreams that you have had about being used by God? Stop right now and think about what is in your “hand“. What skills or talents do you possess that God could use in fulfilling His dream for the world?

by Marilyn Ehle
used by permission

More Dreaming Articles:

A Time to Dream

My Dreams Were too Small

Accomplishing your Dream

Don’t Let Fear and Self Doubt Kill Your Dreams

Lost Dreams

Dreams – Another Perspective

Your Dream Job

The post Dreaming Big appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Have you ever had a dream die? Something you wanted to accomplish in life but “life” got in the way? A desired friendship dissolved because of distance or misunderstanding? Marriage and family never became a reality? What you thought was the call of God never materialized?

Madeleine L’ Engle writes, “Until I can mourn the loss of a dream I cannot be comforted enough to have vision for a fresh one.” Many North Americans are not comfortable with mourning. We feel it is appropriate to weep at the loss of a loved one, but when the weeping goes on for what we believe is “too long,” we counsel the individual to “get over it,” face reality, or any number of other equally comfortless bromides.

The Bible describes several people who lost their dreams: Naomi turned bitter when her dream of husband and family dissolved; Job’s wealth, health and family evaporated and he had many questions of God; Hannah waited “too long” for a child; after Jesus’ death, two of his friends walked sadly to the town of Emmaus and said, “we had hoped that He was the one.”

Since it is God’s great pleasure to give us new dreams and fresh hopes, perhaps it’s time to sit quietly in His presence, mourn the loss of our dream, then listen to the still, small voice of the Giver of Dreams for the better things He has planned.

Father, weeping isn’t comfortable and often isn’t socially acceptable, but thank you for knowing and understanding my tears and loss. Help me to feel your care, then move on to seek your new dreams for my life.

by Marilyn Ehle
Used by Permission

More Dreaming Articles:

A Time to Dream

My Dreams Were too Small

Accomplishing your Dream

Don’t Let Fear and Self Doubt Kill Your Dreams

Dream Big

Dreams – Another Perspective

Your Dream Job

The post Lost Dreams appeared first on Thoughts About God.