Weekly Devotional: When You Dream…

Ephesians 1:19-21, 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

Set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come

– 2 Corinthians 1:22 (NIV)

An early 2000s throw-back that’s appropriately titled “Dream Big” by Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand, still finds its way on all the good playlists. This hit offers a really simple but solid piece of advice: “When you dream, dream big.”

When we dream, how big do we dream? How large can our aspirations be? There is a certain fear within a dream and a bigger fear of trusting God with our dreams. We worry that our expectations are too high, that our dream could never happen or that this dream of ours is too big for us. One of the most common fears as a Christian is that our dreams might not lie within the parameters of God’s plan for our lives.

Bob Goff eloquently states it in his book “Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World:”

God’s hope and plan for us is pretty simple to figure out. For those who resonate with formulas, here it is: add your whole life, your loves, your passions, and your interests together with what God said He wants us to be about, and that’s your answer.

This is a pretty big formula for what our dreams could be and how big we should really dream.

In the verses in Ephesians, God has an incomparable power for those who believe. This power and strength is the same power that can raise the dead, rule over every being and object on this earth, now and for what is to come.

The Spirit of God is active and unwavering. Our God is so huge and powerful that scripture says we are unable to understand everything God is doing! That even mountains tremble before Him (Isaiah 64:4).

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 says that the Spirit is in us! So why do we limit ourselves, and therefore limit God? The Spirit that is in us is the same Spirit that God uses in His glory and power.

The Spirit empowers us when we are in tune with God and following faithfully to Christ. So as the New Year starts and those resolutions are at the forefront in our minds, think about how large you are dreaming!  Now, it’s not the same as saying that I want to rule the world! Yes, that is a big dream, but does it address what God wants us to be? Love God and love people. Does your dream fall within that?

Loving God is surrendering everything in your life for His glory, and the beauty of loving people is that it could take shape is so many different ways. That is where your dream lies. Within fulfilling the great commandment; loving God and dreaming big for His glory and the love of his people.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

– 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13