Doing Things that Matter: Dream Wildly - Monday Morning Devotions (Week 2)
(c) http://doingthingsthatmatter.com/
Readings:
Ephesians 3:20-21
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19
John 10:10
(additional verses at the bottom)
Most of us are familiar with the story of Walt Disney. Perhaps no one else in the past century personifies a dreamer more than the creator of Mickey and friends! Perhaps Walt Disney’s most extraordinary accomplishment was the creation of Disney World in Florida. He had already created Disneyland in California, but he imagined something much grander and magical. He considered many locations around the country for his new dream and eventually settled on what most believed was unusable swampland in central Florida. Disney took a plane flight over the area and he saw everything he needed: great roads and interstates running through Orlando, an airport close by, warm weather year-round, and lot and lots of cheap land. His advisors were uncertain about the location because of the challenges of swampland and construction, but Disney was set and the rest is history. Disney World is a dream that seemed impossible to many people, but for a dreamer like Walt Disney nothing feels impossible!
Is that what it means to make the impossible…possible? We are certainly inspired by a dream like Disney’s, but there are truths in scripture that are even more jaw dropping than swampland transformed into castles and roller coasters. Ephesians 3:20-21 reminds us that God is the biggest dreamer of us all! This doesn’t mean he will fulfill our wildest dreams for our own personal success or gain. No, it says God can do anything…by working within us…in order to give glory to God! More than anything our hearts must desire to see God receive glory in this world. When our dreams are to elevate and glorify God (and not ourselves) we will be able to see the truly impossible made possible.
Many of us hope to see the power of God in our lives, yet we continue to dream, strive, and pray for things that aren’t really about God receiving glory in this world. As a result, we aren’t seeing the power of God, but rather the limited power of ourselves.
Feeling Stuck?
People who do things that matter in this world dream about things that advance, promote, and glorify our God! Perhaps, the power of God is already alive within us and we just need to start dreaming about the things that matter. We have a God who can do anything!
But sometimes we feel stuck - like you are living the life that was handed to you, instead of the life you’re meant to live. It can feel like you’re in a hamster wheel wondering, “What am I doing?” This is where dreams become vital to life—they stir us out of the rut we can find ourselves in.
The best, most important dreams help us pursue things that matter! Many of us want to live in the dream God has for us, but we are confused about what that is, so we cry out to God, “What’s your will for my life?!” The simple truth about God’s will is that it’s way more about who you are than what you do or where you go. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19)
If you find yourself wondering about your dream then consider this—your dreams must be bigger than you! Meaning the best dreams, the most Kingdom minded dreams aren’t about what you will accomplish in life, but the best dreams see beyond ourselves and imagine the common good for all people! (1 Corinthians 12:7) Isn’t that always God’s will?
What if you dreamed for the people and places you intersect every day?
What if you dreamed for your neighborhood?
For the people you work with?
For your community?
For your church?
Having a dream can be intimidating because the world has boxed dreams into things like advancing your career or creating causes and movements that have a global impact. Many of us shy away from those types of “big dreams” because we don’t want to fail.
Our dreams shouldn’t be rooted in the big or impressive, but rather in the hope for the people and places around us. Ask God to stir your heart for that cause! What’s something that matters for your neighborhood, kids school, work colleagues, or city? What is something good that you and your friends can do that will spread the love of God and continue the global impacting movement we are already a part of called the gospel of Jesus Christ?
What is a dream you have that only God can do?
The gospel calls you to do things you thought you could never do—and it starts with the life you are living now. Look around you and dream wildly—that’s God’s will for you!
Our “Achille’s Heel”
In Greek mythology there was a great warrior named Achilles. When he was a baby, it was foretold that he would die young. In order to prevent his death, his mother Thetis took Achilles to the River Styx, which was supposed to offer powers of invulnerability. She dipped his body into the water, but held Achilles by the foot and therefore his heel was not washed over by the magical waters of the river.
According to the legend, Achilles grew up to be a mighty warrior who survived many great battles, but his fateful day came when a poisonous arrow struck him in his heel, killing him shortly after. Today we refer to our “achilles heel” as something that is our weak spot, vulnerable place, or in some cases the thing that will defeat us. For Superman it is kryptonite, for some people it is fear, and for many of us it’s a sin lurking around the corner looking to trip us up.
Our enemy is out to crush our dreams and keep us from being people who do things that matter for the Kingdom. In fact, he’s out to deceive, steal, and destroy us. As much as there is a God in heaven that loves everything about us, there is also an enemy that absolutes hates every part of who we are. John 10:10 isn’t just about the abundant life Jesus gives, but also a reminder that we have an enemy.
So many people have dreamed wildly for God only to see their hopes and dreams come crashing down because of sin. Is sin impacting your life in such a way that it is getting in the way of any dream God has for you? Has sin become your achilles heel? Don’t be fooled - sin will take you out! The enemy tempts us with sin and wants to pull us away from who God wants us to be.
We must be alert and of sober mind! What sins are crouching at our door? God’s Word promises that He will give us the strength to overcome temptation. We must submit our areas of struggle, sin, and even fears to prayer and the grace of God. We must repent of our sin and submit our lives to Him.
Read today’s scriptures and be encouraged. Never hesitate to seek spiritual counsel from someone you trust if you need help and Dream Wildly!
Additional Reading:
Mark 9:23, Mark 10:27
Matthew 17:20
Romans 8:31, Romans 12:1-8
Jeremiah 32:17
1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 Corinthians 12:7
1 Peter 5:8-11
Genesis 4:7
John 1:19
1 John 5:4
Read Week 3: Live Differently
We would like to thank Tim Mannin and OKC Community Church for providing this plan.