New Seasons and Dreams

 

Spring has sprung! Winter was slow giving way to spring but it had to move aside to wait in silent till it's time will come again.

Looking at my own life, I realize that seasons have come and gone.  Some passed slowly almost refusing to make room for the next.  Perhaps there were also those seasons that I clung to, refusing to move out of my comfort zone.

At times, we believe our season is long past. It has been put to rest with the dream that never seemed to come to fruition.  And yet the sense of wonderment, of could it be, lingers.

Reading a portion of Abraham and Sarah's story this morning once again brought hope to my weary bones. You can read their story in Genesis.

This two people without a doubt walked through many seasons in their lives.  They had seasons of hope, despair and fulfilled promises of God.  Sarah understood lack of fulfillment as she watched as her body aged, losing hope of the promised child. Yet that season was still not only in God's hands but also in His plans.

Do you have a season, a dream that you long for?  I too believe I am walking into a new season of life. Like Sarah waiting on God's promise of child, I probably have tried to give birth to my dream in my own ways time and again. Now in my older age, I too laugh as I hear the chance of God birthing that dream. The spiritual tummy is bulging and the heartbeat of the spiritual child seems stronger than ever.

Years ago, I felt God calling me to a particular task.  For years, I wrestled with the notion that I was not rich enough, smart enough, brave enough or strong enough to make the dream come to past.  Like the picture I shared yesterday, I needed to promise to remember that I was braver than I felt, stronger than it seemed and smarter than I thought.  But what I really needed was to simply take God at His word.

We all can rest in the knowledge of a loving God that promises to complete the good work He has begun in each of us.  If He has placed a dream, hope or promise inside you, wait on it.  It will surely come to past.  Do your part!  What is my part, you ask?  Our part is to obey, trust and love The Lord with everything within us!

Preaching at myself this morning, I remind us just as the labor pains of an expecting mother bring forth the cries of her newborn so God will bring forth the cries of the dream He placed within us!

A portion of Sarah’s story...

"So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, 'After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?'" - Genesis 18:12

God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son who would be the seed of a whole nation. Sarah was now beyond childbearing years. So when some angels from God paid Abraham a visit to inform him that Sarah was going to have a child, she happened to be listening outside the tent and laughter escaped from within her.  The thought seemed unbelievable to her. The angels reminded her that nothing is impossible with God.

"Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son" (Gen. 18:14).

Sarah gave birth to Isaac as foretold.

You will find more encouragment over at Spiritual Sundays