From experience, I've noticed that my own self-made-up dreams are always too safe. Too quiet. My own dreams require little risk--practically none, in fact. I can carry them out whether God shows up or not.
But God's dreams for me... Oh my. They have always required that I step out of the boat in deep seas and then, yes, walk on water.
And those are the dreams, the adventures, I now remember with awe. How in the world did I ever have the courage to do those things? To say what I said? To write what I wrote? Especially when no one else was saying or doing the same things?
Especially while walking on water and feeling all trembly and unsure?
God. His Presence. His ability. All held me up. And what a rush! The times when the ocean got choppy and I was tempted to leap back to the boat--but didn't--oh, those incredible times.
My own dreams take me down safe, dusty roads, ones which usually end at a crooked sign upon which is written, "Dead End. Waste Of Time."
But the God-birthed dreams keep leading me back to scarey--yet exciting--adventures on high seas. Risk is always involved in some form--he's a close cousin of Faith and Grace. And the sign on the faraway beach is always the same, "Well Done, Thou Good And Faithful Servant."
***
"A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." ...Admiral Grace Murray Hopper
"The harder you fight to hold on to specific assumptions, the more likely there's gold in letting go of them." ... John Seely Brown
***
as i read your post, i thought of the story of Jesus, calmly asleep through the storm as his disciples were madly trying to control the boat ... now i get sea-sick and scared stiff to be out of my safe harbour - but as you said in the post, what a feeling when we venture out where He leads ...
ReplyDelete