Monday, November 21, 2005

Dream



Where is the line between ambition and purpose? Between dreams and calling? That has been a question I have had as of late. I have dreams and things I want to see happen through me and in me, but ask myself sometimes, "Is this your ambition?"

I, as all Christians should, want to be used of God. In this desire I want God to do great things through me. I also, on the other hand, want God to do with me what he wills to fulfill his purpose. The difficulty in this is that could be simply a reduction in dreams.

I will never forget a message preached by Bro. McClain (from I believe Houston.) He preached at ADMIT about the call of Joseph of the New Testament. Joseph was an upright person who also desired to be used of God. He was living his life in accordance to Gods Word and was an "upright" man. God had majestic plans for him. Though Joseph probably didn't get what he had planned for in "being used of God." God decided to call him to a life of being accused of being an adulterer. Every day he lived being accused of conceiving a child in sin. Though he was also revered by God to "rear" in a very real sense the Creator robed in flesh, the call of God came with quite a reproach.

It is easy to see the Joseph of the Old Testament as "A Dreamer." As a "Leader and Deliverer." But how hard was it really while he was in prison, or being pulled out of the pit to be sold into slavery and the ridicule that came before that by his brothers.

Then on the other end of the spectrum you have David, who was killing Lions and Bears at a young age. I am not taking away from the trials of David and the hardship he faced, but the burden of the call seems a lot harder for the 2 Josephs and people who's call was a 'lot of a lesser than hoped for place' in the scheme of things.

When I see Joseph the foster father of our Lord, I don't see the shame though. He was favored of God to be put in that place. Joseph of the Old Testament's purpose was great in that he saved an untold number of people from starving from the famine.

The bottom line is this. We cannot worry about whether Gods lot in life for us is great or small. Am I going to be a Pastor? Shepherd? Evangelist? Teacher? 30 fold, 60 fold or 100 fold? God is the one who knows. He knows the end from the beginning and is not taken aback or awed by what is in my future, or yours.

Just let me be used. Like water. Whether to wash the feet of a guest or to fill the glass of a king... let me be used.

I go back to my last post. "Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?"

No. The thing that is formed shall not say to him that formed it. I just want to submit to God and let him decipher all the rest. It is a waste of valuable "kingdom" time, to worry about what the future holds. I have scripture that says to "Give us this day our daily bread." So, if I can't see past the end of my nose about what is around the corner, I DO know in "whom I have believed." So let me not be distressed.

I serve a God who is able to do "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." So it is rather absurd and even arrogant of me to even count what I think or hope or dream to be anything at all.

Today Lord, help me to do your will. If I do something today that you want me to do, and tomorrow I do the same, and then the day after that walk with you, so I can look back in 20 years from now and say, "God meant it ALL for good" and have my days filled with serving God. Let each day build a little at a time.

Like I have said before in talking about being consistant, it takes 1 million single dollar bills to make a million. If you don't start with 1, you will not have a million.

God, sanctify my desires and dreams that they be nothing more than VISION bestowed upon me from the heavenly vision.