Keeper of Dreams

"Then Solomon said, 'My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honour the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD told him, 'You wanted to build the Temple to honour My name. Your intention is good, but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honour Me.'" 2 Chronicles 6:7-9

As a little girl, I had dreams. Dreams of love, marriage, beauty, acceptance, friendship, success, achievements and accomplishments. Some have been fulfilled, while others have fallen short of my hopeful longings.

Today, as I look around and see others fulfilling desires I had hoped to achieve, sometimes it is hard. It can be difficult to see another living your dream. The yearning is still there, yet the realization and fulfillment is still lacking. For some reason the Lord has decided that, like David, He can entrust me with a vision that requires my prayer and preparation, but not my participation. Sometimes we sit and watch as another is given the opportunity to do what we dreamed about doing. Outwardly we pretend to accept what inwardly feels like our failure, as we watch another living the dream we still long to embrace.

Often this is time that God uses to purify motives of ambition to bring us in line with His plans. Our self-serving, self-seeking nature needs refining and refusing so that His name alone will be praised. God raised David up as king and warrior, but not as builder.

Sometimes God asks us not only to surrender our dream, but then come alongside and support the person walking in the very shoes we wish we could fill. Maybe our role will be to train another, or like David, raise a child to fulfill our dream. One of the hardest things to experience might be to prepare for the building of the dream, but not be part of the construction crew.

Although God does not call everyone to build temples, we have been given special abilities and talents with which to honour the Lord. We were made specifically and purposefully for His high calling. Praying today that the Lord will be gentle with the dreams we still treasure in our hearts. Maybe some are still yet to be fulfilled, but for those that we are holding on to that are misplaced and mistaken, Father, give us courage to surrender them so we can receive and embrace the marvelous dreams You still have for us.

"Hard as it seems, Standing in dreams, Where is the dreamer now?

Wonder if I, Wanted to try, Would I remember how?

I don't know the way to go from here,

But I know that I have made my choice,

And this is where I stand, Until He moves me on,

And I will listen to His voice.

This is faith, Patience to wait, When there is nothing clear.

Nothing to see, Still we believe, Jesus is very near.

I can not imagine what will come, But I've already made my choice.

And this is where I stand, Until He moves me on.

And I will listen to His voice.

Could it be that He is only waiting there to see,

If I will learn to love the dreams that He has dreamed for me?

Can't imagine what the future holds, But I've already made my choice.

And this is where I stand, Until He moves me on,

And I will listen to His voice."

(Twila Paris; "I Will Listen"; Copyright Mountain Spring Music, Ariose Music Group Inc.; 1996