All of us have dreams for our lives—aspirations to do something great or become someone worthwhile. When shaped by the purposes of God, dreams guide us to meaningful living.
Abraham had a dream—two dreams, in fact—and both were God-given. Old and childless in a culture of large families, he dreamed of having a son (Genesis 11:30, Genesis 15:3). God promised that this dream would come true and added one more. Not only would Abraham have a son, he would have a nation (Genesis 12:2, Genesis 15:5, Genesis 17:5). Two big dreams indeed!
And that’s one reason we find Genesis 22 so baffling. Isaac is born—the fulfillment of the first dream and a glimpse of the second (Genesis 21:1-3)—and Abraham is called to sacrifice him! (Genesis 22:2). God was asking to have back what He had given. Abraham was to give up both his fulfilled and unfulfilled dreams.
The preparation would have been agonizing. Abraham gathered his son, servants, and supplies, and walked for days to the sacrifice site where he laid what was most precious to him on the altar (Genesis 22:3-9). And just as the knife was poised to plunge, God intervened and gave Abraham back his dreams (Genesis 22:11-14). Abraham learned two important lessons that day: The true God is not like the gods around him who reveled in child sacrifice, and nothing—not even a God-given dream—comes before Him.
Have you given your dreams to God—both the fulfilled ones and the unfulfilled? It’s the only way to ensure that our dreams are under His hand, and that they don’t become gods themselves. As He did with Abraham, God may well give your dreams back to you or give them back in a new form.
But whatever He does with your dreams, you can be sure it will come accompanied by a blessing (Genesis 22:15-18).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Samuel 17:1-31
More:
Read Proverbs 16:9 to see how God might sift your dream. Read Psalm 105:19 to see what He might be doing while you wait for a dream to be fulfilled.
Next:
What dream do you have for your life? Have you offered it back to God?
Jackson on March 27, 2015 at 3:45 am
Great start to the day to be reminded of Gods Promise to us as believers
LCC on March 27, 2015 at 5:16 am
Abraham deserved the name “father of faith”. His faith/trust towards God is absolute, 100% without any doubts! And our God is such a loving Father that will never short changed us, His children because He has only one thing in mind, LOVE. (Ephesians 3 :18)
Gary Shultz on March 27, 2015 at 6:31 am
Yes, you have landed on one of these things that is a great puzzlement. Culturally speaking dreams are something that wells up inside that you desire greatly, whether it is a plan or an envisioned goal to take you to the place where the desire is fulfilled. It becomes a focal point in our thinking, some make plans to pursue that path others accept present status of life and hold it as an “if only”. I think you have sliced into the real matter of giving your dreams to God. Often the Christian understands we give our life, our possessions and our all to God, which is a sizable feat; however, we never consider the depth of a dream or vision, we seem to hold that as personal stock to motivate us when the chips are down. We sometimes share a dream with a spouse, a parent or friend, but we don’t often hear of our dream being of God. Good heavens, that’s a command or mission or something and we still protect this little obsession with a goal. Until we believe that God is much bigger than any of our dreams and that He alone is able to lead us in paths of righteousness, which will yield treasure in heaven and peacefulness on earth, we will never give up our dream and dream His dream. We must understand how to get His dream and the value of it. When we do, our dream becomes but floor sweepings in comparison to His. Wow, I used a lot of space and went on at some length, which I normally don’t like to do, so I thank you for the space and time and sharing the interest in God’s dream.
LCC on March 27, 2015 at 9:10 pm
Thank you Gary for sharing your thought on this. I am blessed to have read your sharing. I have never thought/look at dreams in such depth.
Marlena Graves on March 27, 2015 at 4:03 pm
Hi Sheridan, thank you. Yes, I have believed and say I believe, that if there is to be a death of a dream, God will give me new dreams and fulfill those dreams. In fact, right now, I am waiting to see what is going to happen in one particular area. It is good to be reminded of this today.
Mike Wittmer on March 27, 2015 at 5:59 pm
So wise, and so hard to do. Impossible really, without God’s help. Every good thing can be an idol, unless we give it to Him. Even the dreams that come from Him. I needed this today, Sheridan. Thanks!
Winn Collier on April 4, 2015 at 8:48 pm
This story has always been one of the Bible’s most disturbing stories.
amit1 on April 19, 2015 at 8:06 am
I think in my short walk with God, giving him your dreams is the right approach. As a baby christian I looked at this scripture (NIV Proverb 16:3) and made it personal to me, which says “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans” however in recent times I am inclining to the Amplified Bible, which says in the line of “When you commit your works he will make your thoughts and plans agreeable to his will”.