Doesn’t the Bible say…?

SUMMER DEVOTIONAL SERIES

“Pursue your dreams.”

Christ-followers have long had a difficult relationship with today's topic. Lots of Christians believe that whatever you don't want to do is exactly what God wants you to do. The classic example of this is "Please Don't Send Me to Africa," a silly song that voices this real fear... surrendering your life to God means saying goodbye to everything you love. (Google it if you want to but fair warning, it's 26 years old and more than a little out of date. It seems that we were pretty misinformed about Africa in 1995.)

The pendulum swing to this is the popular belief that you should never have any trouble in your life and only expect health, wealth and prosperity. This goes nicely with the American dream that if you can wish upon a star, and add a little elbow grease, anything is possible. When I was in high school we loved singing: "If I can see it, then I can be it; If I just believe it, there's nothing to it; I believe I can fly." My friends and I held onto those lyrics; we held them tight. LOL!

You can find scripture to land on one side or the other when it comes to pursuing your dreams. If you believe that God has plans to thwart your hope and dreams, you can look at the life of Job, Abraham being asked to sacrifice Isaac, or the stories of the faithful in Hebrews 11. If you believe that every trouble in your life can be resolved and you will prosper if you have enough faith, you can look at Proverbs 10:22, Matthew 18:18-19 and Philippians 4:19.

But the truth, as is so often the case, lies in the balance. The same God says: "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) And, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kids, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." (James 1:3)

Is this a contradiction? Not at all. It's just important that we understand the heart of the Father and the redeeming work of Jesus.

God is deeply interested in your best. That's what His love (Greek: agape) is defined as: a love that looks for what's best for someone else. In Jeremiah, God is telling the people that they are going to be in exile for 70 years... but don't worry because He plans to prosper them again. In James, the reason that we can have joy in trials is because the perseverance we learn develops maturity in us so that we will "not lack anything." And when Jesus promises that we will have trouble in this world, He also says, "But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

When David wrote in Psalm 37:4, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart," He delighted in God before anything else and trusted God to bless Him as He saw fit. It's sounds a lot like what Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:33: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

We serve the One who has overcome, who has provided for everything we need (2 Peter 1:3-11) beginning with forgiveness of sin and the restoration of our relationship with Himself. We are the object of His affection, dearly loved children. And we are loved enough to be disciplined, brought to maturity and led in the way that is best for us into what has been prepared in advance for us. (Proverbs 3:11-12, Ephesians 2:10)

So, the counsel of God is to pursue Him. Pursue Him with your whole heart; and watch what He does in your life.

In Christ,
Pastor Tracy

WATER BAPTISM: Get baptized on 5th Sunday, August 29th!

Summer YouVersion Reading Plan: The Messiah