so, at my home church on sunday, we were privileged to have a guest pastor from new orleans come and bring a word for the congregation. it was, by far, one of the best messages that i’ve heard in quite a while, and i feel compelled to share some tidbits with you.
pastor was talking about the growth of a dream. Luke 2:52 says, “And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” this is a simple but powerful verse that i have glazed over in its simplicity. however, it speaks to Jesus’ mental, physical, and spiritual growth–and if Jesus experienced these things as a process, how much more do we need to do so. he was growing and hadn’t just arrived. the Bible talks of believers going from strength to strength and glory to glory and faith to faith–it’s about going from one level to the next, not stepping back but progressing and moving forward, maturing.
in genesis 11, we meet Abram and Sarai who were in Haran, or getting ready to go from there. the word “Haran” literally means settledness, mediocrity. they were in a static state of non-growth and complacency. and then in genesis 12:1-3, God gives them a dream–and herein lies the first key point of developing a dream: God is the Dreamgiver. in this case, God was telling Abram (who was 75 years old) and Sarai (who was 65 years old and barren) that from them would come a great nation of descendants. what looked to be impossible due to advanced age and barrenness could be possible? why yes! this is how you tell if a dream is truly from God–if you can accomplish it in your own strength, then it’s not of God. but, if you cannot in your strength and knowledge achieve this dream and when it is recognized as impossible with man, it becomes possible with God.
Skip ahead a couple chapters to Genesis 16, and we find the second key point in growing a dream: Delays are inevitable. 10 years after God had promised Abram and Sarai descendants, Sarai got tired of waiting and took matters into her own hands by having her husband go to bed with her maidservant. Sarai tried to speed up the process but instead created an Ishmael (which i won’t go into here). what she failed to see was that God was building character in her and Abraham during this delay–He hadn’t forgotten them or failed them, but He had other steps to accomplish first. Hebrews 6:12 says, “imitate those who through faith AND patience inherit what has been promised.” with faith and patience you will inherit. to try and DO something to inherit takes away from the point of inheritance–it is something given to you at the appropriate time, and all most people have to do is keep a good relationship with the giver. think about your parents–if you keep in good, loving relationship with your family, they will be pleased to give you all they have after they go or at the appropriate time. God is saying here that it takes BOTH faith and patience–faith to believe that God will fulfill what He has told to you and patience to wait on His timing.
which brings me to the final key point in growing dreams: God’s timing is perfect. Genesis 21 (25 years after the original promise of descendants, and when Sarah is now 90 years old) God provided them with their son, Isaac, whose name literally means joy or laughter. eventually if we have faith and are patient, God will bring us joy but as verse 2 reminds us, it happens “at the appointed time of which God had spoken.”
