For all those who endure, a golden crown ...

Who can know the power of a dream? Columbus had a dream of discovering a new world. Henry Ford had a dream of building an affordable automobile for the working-man. The Wright brothers had a dream of a flying machine. Many powerful and beneficial ideas have sprung from the imaginations of creative and visionary people over the ages. Educators, politicians, and guidance counselors make speeches out of this; so much so that it has become clichéd. Follow your dreams! Be all that you can be! Somewhere over the rainbow, etc. There is some truth there. We are made in the image of a creative God who has given us dominion over the created world. We are free to join Him in this on-going work both in gracing the world with works of beauty and discovery and also in redeeming part of what was broken in the fall. The creative impulse stirs from the very core of our being, a signature mark of the Creator, Himself.

Not only is it a natural outgrowth of who we are, but God also works in mysterious ways to kindle visions of service through the gifts and promises given to individual people like you and me. Abraham’s vision of being the father of nations was a promise of incredible proportions. Joseph’s visions of sheaves and ladders propelled and prepared him in ways he could not imagine. And Moses had a sense of destiny in looking upon his oppressed brothers that was linked with his privileged position. A superficial wish would be that we would be so blessed with same-such dreams and visions. I am not so sure. Dreams and visions can be very troubling things. Abraham waited and waited for the fruit of his promise to appear. And when it did not, he foolishly tried to bring it about on his own. Joseph shared his dreams with his brothers and was sold into slavery for his impetuous kindness. Moses slew an Egyptian and then fled for his life into self-imposed exile. In each case, the vision had to die before God could give it life.

Living with such dreams and visions can be a painful thing. And the temptation to force them into reality is constant. Such is the tragedy that stalks Shakespeare’s Macbeth. He becomes a self-made victim of the prophecies as he lends them his helping hand. On a slightly smaller scale, I happened to see a visionary on TV who had sacrificed his family and plunged into years of indebtedness all to follow a dream of a silly invention that had absolutely no merit. Not only was the bargain he had made a complete debacle, he stood pathetic and shamed before a TV audience with the sudden reality of it all. Many are the victims of following a dream to the exclusion of everything and everyone else.

David awoke one day and asked himself why he should dwell in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwelled in a tent. This vision of building the temple was one which grew in his heart and was to be the crowning achievement of his life. It was his dream. And it was a good thing. But God said, “No.” It would be built by David’s son, Solomon, instead.

Many of us have had dreams and visions of what we would like to accomplish in our lifetimes. They need to come with a warning label. Hazardous: handle with care! Giving them the Isaac-on-the-altar treatment is always good, preventative medicine. We must be willing to let them die so that God may resurrect them in His time. And let’s not forget David. We may never fulfill our dreams but instead enable our children to live them. Not all dreams are fulfilled in one generation. Especially great ones.