“The kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Luke 11:20)
When Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were developing the revolutionary Apple computer, they approached several established companies for support, but none would help him. Surely these companies regretted it later when Apple became one of the most successful companies in history. But Jobs didn’t let the rejection bother him. “We’re gambling on our vision,” he once said, “and we would rather do that than make ‘me too’ products. Let some other companies do that. For us, it’s always the next dream.”
Jesus also faced rejection from members of the religious establishment of his day, and for a similar reason. He wasn’t a me-too rabbi following the status quo. He had come to tell his people about God’s next dream for them. It was the dream of a life filled with the Spirit. It was a dream of intimacy with God—intimacy experienced both in corporate worship and within each person’s heart. It was a dream of restoration, healing, and redemption.
God has dreams for us today as well. He wants all of us to know how freeing and fulfilling life in his kingdom is. Long before Jesus came, he made a promise that is just as fresh today: “See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19). Our Father is always creating “something new,” both in our hearts and in the world around us.
What is Jesus’ next dream for you? One way to answer this question is to sit down with a pen and paper and try to write out all the dreams you have in your heart right now. As you write, be careful not to disqualify any of them, no matter how far-fetched or absurd they sound. Then sit with this list for a bit, and see if any of them strike a chord in your heart. How might the Lord want to convert this dream into a reality that gives him glory and serves his Church?
Don’t be afraid to dream big. Maybe you will be key in overcoming the scourge of abortion. Maybe you will play a role in solving world hunger. You’ll never know if you don’t set your dreams free! God has wonderful plans for you!
“Holy Spirit, open my mind and my heart to your dreams and goals for my life. I want to be pleasing to you!”
Galatians 3:7-14, Psalm: 111:1-6