Monday, January 21, 2008

I Have a Dream

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and rendered one of the most successful speeches in American history. He inspired and ignited dreams in Americans for equality. To truly have one nation under God, for all men who are created equal by God to exercise the rights promised by the founding father to guarantee the unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

King dreamed dreams bigger than he was, but he made a difference. Laws have been passed that guarantee that equality to all people in our country.

God gives us dreams and usually they are much bigger than we are. Our God is a big God and cannot be contained in our finite minds.

Isaiah 55:9 NIV
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We don’t always understand what God is doing. God is so big. But here is an example I can grasp. With all the planes that fly around in the airspace, air traffic controllers have radars that can see and identify all the planes in that airspace. They can see the big picture of where the planes are and where they are going. When I was in the Air Force, I received what is called an “incentive flight” for a reward. I got to fly in a jet aircraft. While flying up in the airspace, the air traffic controller gave the pilot instructions. We were playing around and goofing off as he showed me different things they do while up in the sky (please pray for military pilots). Then the air traffic controller adamantly told the pilot to maintain a certain altitude and heading. At the urgent sound of the ATC’s voice, the pilot obeyed. Though we could not see what was above us or flying near us the air traffic controller saw it. I don’t even want to imagine what could have happened if the pilot had not obeyed. We finished our flight and landed safely.

God has the big picture of our lives. We don’t see the big picture and the things that are going on around us. But He gives each of us dreams to navigate us in the direction He wants us to go.

Psalm 34:7 NIV
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

God puts the desires and dreams in our hearts. What we need to do is trust Him to bring it to pass.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

I write this today to encourage myself in the Lord. I pray that it may encourage someone else as the Lord leads.

I have big dreams. Dreams that are bigger than me. Like Joseph who dreamed, many years passed before the dream came to pass. I can relate to that waiting time that Joseph experienced because that is where I feel I am at. I feel like I have been forgotten. The dreams God gave to Joseph came to pass in God’s timing for the good of all the people. I know who my God is and I know that in His timing His will for me, the dreams He has given to me shall come to pass in His timing for the good of others. His plans will not be impeded.

Job 42:1-6 NIV

1 Then Job replied to the LORD :
2 "I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."

Perhaps Job had dreams of the way his life was to go. Then all those things went bad with him. But God knew what was going on the whole time. Job repented.

God gave Abraham and Sarah a dream that Abraham would be the father of many nations through Sarah. Sarah got to the point she didnt see how that would happen as she passed those child bearing years. But that dream God gave to them came to pass in His timing, not theirs. Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness.

Lord, I give You praise for this is the day that You have made and I shall rejoice and be glad in it. I thank You for Your mercies endure forever and are new every morning. Lord, You have plans and those plans cannot be hindered. I know it is not about me, but the bigger picture. Lord, I seek Your forgiveness for speaking and saying things of which I don’t understand. I pray that I listen now for Your voice so I may know Your will. Lord, I repent of pride and selfishness. I ask You create a clean heart in me. I pray that I serve You wholeheartedly where You place me. I pray that I trust in Your timing and not take matters into my own hands. In Jesus name, Amen.


Blessings in Christ--

15 gracious comments:

Anonymous said...

Shonda,

What a great post especially on this day...you wove it so well.

Dreams...big dreams...dreams dashed...dreams deferred...dreams that God gives that are more amazing than we thought to even entertain...

Thanks Shonda!

Oh and thanks for the help on linking our blogs from Bev's comment page...it worked!

Helen

Patty said...

Hi Shonda!
I am part of the group reading through the Bible at Bev's place! What a wonderful post! I have a lot I want to say but I am not sure where to begin. About the dreams, I can emphathize with you about having a dream that God birthed in you and years go by and still nothing. That can be hard. God has taught me that before the dream can be fulfilled a time of preparation must come and let me tell you, it came. I was sitting under Tony Evan's wife at a women's conference a few summers ago and Lois came to the end of the stage and looked me dead in my eyes and said God has a huge destiny for you but right now He is preparing you for it. I have another blogging friend who touched on dreams on her blog the other day and she said find someone to share your dream with and pray about it. I am pondering on that. I have been waiting for over 10 years for God to manifest what He put in my heart. I pray that God will grant you the desires of your heart. God is painting a masterpiece over you and may He bless you beyond anything you would expect for we serve a BIG God!
Have a blessed Monday!
Patty

Bev Brandon @ The Fray said...

Wow, my dear, you did weave a dream for freedom into all our hearts. You know, Shonda, I am one of those people who grew up so prejudiced from birth but when my God stepped into my life...NO MORE...He opened my eyes to see that we are all the same, created by HIM, His handiwork, and I am never to judge anyone by their color...what a travesty that my first 25 years of life were spent stuck in that weave...couldn't drink from the same water fountains, couldn't sit together on the bus, couldn't go to the same schools either...what a glory to God that He gave me spiritual eyes to see at 25 years old, and what I have passed on to the next generations is that freedom in Christ...my children know no color...and I love it...just loved your post!!! Bev

annette said...

Great post, Shonda. May all your dreams that are God-ordained come true! And thank you for the how-to to make a link in a comment. I'll try it next week! love you, annie

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Thanks for your kind comments about the contest. Great post today.

Bev Brandon @ The Fray said...

Shonda, you are always such a delight to me...the word "humble" comes to my mind when I see your face and now it's a new face with a precious new hairdo and I do a doubletake...nice hair, beautiful girl...hey, I am going to try to link back to me right here... www.beverly-brandon.blogspot.com closing tag. So, did I do it??? I don't think so....LOL....this blogging is hysterical sometimes---I just got off the phone w/ my 23 year old who just asked me---"Mother, do you mean you have never met any of those people you blog with and they are STRANGERS?"---NO, they are friends...LOL

Bev Brandon @ The Fray said...

ps - oohhh it turned blue....i think i was close but should have erased closing tag thingy...let me try again...PEBCAK...

Okay, please come say hello to Bev at http://www.beverly-brandon.blogspot.com So, did I do it this time???

Bev Brandon @ The Fray said...

pps - I'm close...I just can't get it though...thanks for praying for me---I at home with pneumonia.

marine's words said...

I agree with patty what she said was really good about your dreams.
And yes I have on CAMO'S AND MY LYSOL SPRAY!!
marina

Kathy Schwanke said...

Shonda, I'm not real sure how I got here (to your blog) but it was a blessing to read your encouraging post today. I needed to leave a disappointment from today at Jesus' feet.
Thanks, Kathy

Anonymous said...

The illustration of the air traffic controller and the pilot is excellent! It can be hard when you feel God has given you a vision or dream of what you are to do, but then have to wait for the time to come to pass. But God's timing is perfect. Thanks for sharing!
Karen
www.homesteadblogger.com/tagblog
www.homeschoolblogger.com/salt

Joanne@ Blessed... said...

I found you through 'Blessed by Him' today. You are in Job TOO! So am I. I enjoyed reading your post.

Warmly, Joanne

Julie said...

Shonda,
Thank you for stopping by my blog. Your words blessed me so much. I am new to blogging and enjoying it so much!

Dreams....desires....aches...yep, it's hard to let them out of the bag. After all with them come risk and waiting for fulfillment....which sometimes leads to disappointment. Yes, I can relate.

I remember MANY years ago, someone taught me a truth using air traffic controllers as a picture.
Here it is. You are the air traffic controller of your mind. Thoughts will come and want to land. You have to determine if they can land and where they can land, just like the air traffic controller with the airplanes.

It had such an affect on me that I never forgot the illustration.

It is a pleasure to meet you.
Julie

Karen H TX said...

Hello again my sister!! I have been out of blogland for awhile. Love the post. Have been busy with wedding plans. All is going well. Unless you count the fact that my car was backed into on monday. It was parked and I was not in it, Thank you God! Now I just have to get my poor baby fixed:( Have a great day my sister, Karen

Fran said...

I'm with ya Shonda!! I am in love with Proverbs 3:5 right now too so I was thrilled to see that verse.
Its speaking volumes to me right now.

Trust and obey! Trust and obey!

Love ya and have a great day with Him.
Fran