The Christmas Dream
Greetings from the land of Longhorns, longnecks and all things Large (Texas for those of you who've never been). I am firmly immersed in Christmas with my entire family and relishing the moments. However, I did want to share some musings from Christmases past. Especially in light of Pastor Jamie's great message today which revealed that the first Christmas really wasn't anything like an 8 x 10 glossy. In any case, hope it speaks to your heart. Merry Christmas!
Read Matthew 1:20-25
He awoke with a start. Laying quietly on his sleeping mat, his heart was racing as he tried to sort through the strange impressions that had awakened him. He had been dreaming, or so he thought. The struggles and stresses of the last few weeks had finally taken their toll, leaving him exhausted. He remembered collapsing on the bed with the decision in his mind to quietly divorce his wife. It seems the only compassionate thing to do since she was carrying a dream he couldn’t understand. And as his eyes closed, he remember, his heart had never seemed further from his God.
Yet now … the dream . . . the angel . . . the words of God explaining her vision – God’s vision. His heart continued to surge on, but not with the anguished confusion of misunderstanding. Now he was pulsating with a life and love he had never experienced before. He jumped up from the mat and began pacing the small room, slapping the back of his right hand into the palm of his left. With each rhythmic slap, the dream began to crystallize in his mind and a passion began to invade his heart. This dream was not merely an illusion of the night but rather the revelation of God since the beginning of time, come to pass. And God had asked him to share the dream, to actually participate in its fulfillment.
God was actually sharing His dreams with him and his wife. Even more, the thought gripped him, God was going to live with them, care for them, love them in a way no one else had ever experienced. He would be with them. His knees nearly buckled as he headed for the door. God must really love the world more than they could fathom to create and complete such a plan as this. It really was beyond comprehension.
He ripped open the door as the dawn began to break over the rugged horizon. He stopped for a moment and took in the sleeping village as though for the first time. It looked different now. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath of the crisp air and breathed out a prayer of thanks; for he now saw the world with the passion of his God’s vision. Quietly shutting the door, he raced down the path to find his wife and tell her the Love Incarnate had come down and God was with them.
Food for Thought:
1. According to the following verses, what are God’s dreams (or plans) for us and how do we share in them? John 3:16, John 10:28, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:10-14
2. What is the dream that you perceive God would have you share with Him this Christmas season and how will you work with Him to see that dream fulfilled? How does the sharing of this dream with Him draw you closer to Him?
Copyright © 2000 by Kimberly K. Hannay
All rights reserved.
Read Matthew 1:20-25
He awoke with a start. Laying quietly on his sleeping mat, his heart was racing as he tried to sort through the strange impressions that had awakened him. He had been dreaming, or so he thought. The struggles and stresses of the last few weeks had finally taken their toll, leaving him exhausted. He remembered collapsing on the bed with the decision in his mind to quietly divorce his wife. It seems the only compassionate thing to do since she was carrying a dream he couldn’t understand. And as his eyes closed, he remember, his heart had never seemed further from his God.
Yet now … the dream . . . the angel . . . the words of God explaining her vision – God’s vision. His heart continued to surge on, but not with the anguished confusion of misunderstanding. Now he was pulsating with a life and love he had never experienced before. He jumped up from the mat and began pacing the small room, slapping the back of his right hand into the palm of his left. With each rhythmic slap, the dream began to crystallize in his mind and a passion began to invade his heart. This dream was not merely an illusion of the night but rather the revelation of God since the beginning of time, come to pass. And God had asked him to share the dream, to actually participate in its fulfillment.
God was actually sharing His dreams with him and his wife. Even more, the thought gripped him, God was going to live with them, care for them, love them in a way no one else had ever experienced. He would be with them. His knees nearly buckled as he headed for the door. God must really love the world more than they could fathom to create and complete such a plan as this. It really was beyond comprehension.
He ripped open the door as the dawn began to break over the rugged horizon. He stopped for a moment and took in the sleeping village as though for the first time. It looked different now. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath of the crisp air and breathed out a prayer of thanks; for he now saw the world with the passion of his God’s vision. Quietly shutting the door, he raced down the path to find his wife and tell her the Love Incarnate had come down and God was with them.
Food for Thought:
1. According to the following verses, what are God’s dreams (or plans) for us and how do we share in them? John 3:16, John 10:28, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:10-14
2. What is the dream that you perceive God would have you share with Him this Christmas season and how will you work with Him to see that dream fulfilled? How does the sharing of this dream with Him draw you closer to Him?
Copyright © 2000 by Kimberly K. Hannay
All rights reserved.
posted by Kim Hannay at 8:55 PM
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