One of the most messed up households you’ll ever come across is in the Bible—Jacob’s clan. Now what’s interesting about that is they are the family God chose to be his very own people. In itself, that is quite comforting since most of us come from flawed families—so there is hope for us.

What’s going on in Jacob’s family isn’t unusual. It happens in most every home to some degree. Joseph is favored because he’s the “son of Jacob’s old age”—and one day that favoritism took a concrete form when Jacob gave Joseph the robe.

The Hebrew word for robe is a little uncertain. The New International Version says it was, “a richly ornamented robe”. Other versions call it “a robe with long sleeves” while the King James Version famously translates it, “a coat of many colors”. Jacob got it from Saks; he bought the other boys theirs from K-Mart—on a blue light special.

This robe marked Joseph as dad’s pet, and every time his brothers saw him wear it, they were reminded that their father would never love them like he loved Joseph. And the text tells us three times of their growing “hatred” (Genesis 37:4,5,8); a hatred fueled by jealousy: “His brothers were jealous of him.” (Genesis 37:11)

Jealousy is such a pervasive sin among human beings, yet it is hardest of all sins to recognize. And it is exceedingly destructive! James 3:16 says, “Where you have jealousy … there you find disorder and every evil practice.” Jealousy leads us to do evil. It’s why Cain killed Abel. Abraham’s two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, were torn apart by rivalry. Bitter envy separated Isaac’s two sons, Jacob and Esau. It’s why Saul tried to kill David and the Jews did kill Jesus. (Mark 15:10)

Jealousy is the sense, real or not, that the favor—attention, recognition, reward—another receives somehow diminishes our value. If we’re not careful, the pain of not receiving the robe can do a real number on us. Perhaps you never wore the robe in your family, and even to this day, envy, hatred and jealousy is shrinking your heart, robbing you of joy and diminishing your experience of God’s acceptance.

If that is you, as hurtful and unfair as that experience has been in your life, it should help you to know that the One who saved you, Jesus, knows all about robes!

In his little community of disciples, the peace was often broken by rivalry and envy. And one day Jesus took off his robe, got a basin of water and a towel, and washed their feet. And he showed each of them his love. Yeah, Jesus knew about robes!

Then, because of envy, Jesus was handed over to Pilate, who had soldiers flog him. And they made him a crown of thorns and they mocked him. Then they stripped him of his robe, and crucified him. And hanging on that cross, he showed each of us his love. Yeah, Jesus knew about robes.

Maybe you never wore the robe in your family and maybe you never will in this life, but Revelation 6:11 says a day is coming when you will get a white robe! It was purchased with the blood of the One who willingly gave up his robe so you could wear one, and on that day you will fully know God’s infinite love for you. Yeah, Jesus knows about robes—you will too, one day soon!

Now here’s the deal: You don’t have to wait until then to know the Father’s love. You are wearing the robe right now (Isaiah 61:10)—you just may not realize it yet.

“Jesus Christ became Incarnate for one purpose, to make a way back to God that man might stand before Him as He was created to do, the friend and lover of God Himself.” ~Oswald Chambers

Reflect and Apply: If you never wore the robe or felt the love or received the affirmation you longed for from your parents, at some point in your life, recognizing and owning up to that pain is the first step to healing. Another step, if possible, will require you to approach your family—parents or siblings—and explain your pain. A further step is to renounce any envious actions, jealous attitudes or guarded woundedness. The final step is learning to receive love and acceptance in new ways by cultivating relationships in your faith community, and especially by learning how to receive it from God!

The man who penned this heartwarming verse arguably understood the love of God better than any other human being. It was John the beloved, the Apostle of love. Of course, he was also the author of the most well-known, well-loved verse in the entire Bible—John 3:16,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

That is the whole Bible in just one verse. There’s not a simpler, yet more profound truth in the Bible than this: God loved the whole world so much that he gave his Son to die for it. But that is not just some moving statement of God’s universal love; it is also a profound declaration of his personal love for you. St. Augustine, the 4th century North African Bishop, one of the most influential figures in church history, said it this way,

“God loves each and every one of us as if there were only one of us.”

Did you realize that if you were the only person on this planet, God would’ve loved you so much that he still would have given Jesus to die for your sins? There would still be John 3:16 if you were the sole human being ever created. Max Lucado wrote an entire book just on that one verse called “3:16”. Here is how he put it,

“If God had a wallet, your photo would be in it.”

I don’t know if you really get this or not—and I pray that somehow, somewhere it becomes reality to you, perhaps even before you finish reading this blog, or maybe as you memorize and reflect on this verse. But the truth is, God has a crazy, inexplicable, unreasonable love for you! He really does.

Karl Barth was one of the most brilliant and complex theologians of the twentieth century, writing volume after volume on the meaning of life and faith. A reporter once asked Dr. Barth if he could summarize what he had said in all those volumes. Barth thought for a moment and then said:

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

That’s the whole of God’s truth in a single phrase. Lean into that today—you are the object of his lavish love; you are Abba’s favored child. That is what you are!

Reflect & Apply: Peruse Ephesians 1-2 and make a list of all the things that God has lavished on you through Jesus Christ. Your list should have at least 10 “spiritual blessings” on it.

There was a day when entertainment didn’t come through the television set; it came through the radio. Believe it or not, I can remember those days—at least the tail end of them. But in the good old days of radio, before my time, the folks were entertained with shows like “The Adventures of Sam Spade”, “Fibber McGee and Molly”, “The Shadow” (“only the Shadow knows—bwahaha“), and of course, “The Lone Ranger.”

The Lone Ranger, who was known as “The Masked Man”, was the greatest! He would ride into town, save the day, then ride off into the sunset with a “Hi-yo, Silver, away!” to the tune of the William Tell Overture. And invariably an awestruck bystander would ask the question, “Who was that Masked Man anyway?”

“Who was that masked man anyway?” may be your response to the mysterious wrestling match that took place between Jacob and the unknown assailant here in Genesis 32:22-32. Of course, if you’ve grown up around the Bible, you’ve been instructed that Jacob’s opponent was God. But when you read the text, that’s not so clear. From Jacob’s perspective, his opponent was nothing more that a man (Genesis 32:24)—perhaps a shadowy assassin from Laban’s clan or a hitman from Esau’s tribe—both men whom Jacob had cheated and who had sufficient reason to “rub out” the cheater!

But as the death match (“wrestling” would be far too tame a term if you were in Jacob shoes) continued through the night, and Jacob held his own against this stranger, it began to dawn on him that this was no mere human he was fighting. As you get to the end of the story and the two opponents finally speak, the stranger is identified—as least vaguely—when Jacob exclaims, “I have seen God face to face.” (Genesis 32:30)

We get a little more insight into the stranger’s identity all the way over in Hosea 12:4, when the prophet writes that it was none other than the Angel of the Lord who was duking it out with Jacob. The Angel of the Lord is identified as God himself throughout Scripture (for instance, Acts 7:30), and has even come to be known in Christian theology as a pre-incarnate revelation of Jesus Christ. So who was that masked man anyway? I think it is safe to say that Jacob was wrestling with none other than Jesus.

Now all that information may be nothing more than relatively useless Bible trivia to you, but there is something in this story with which you and I can identify: Wrestling with God. Jacob wrestled with God, and the essence of the wrestling match was over who was going to run Jacob’s life, and how. It had been clear to Jacob throughout his life that God wanted to bless him, but Jacob, whose name meant “deceiver”, had tried to manipulate and coerce those blessings into reality. Jacob wanted it done his way.

I’ll bet you can relate to that; I sure can. You know that God has promised to bless you, but perhaps you are trying to force his favor according to your timing and to your liking. But it won’t work that way—it never does. God can’t be God of your life if you’re trying to be God of your life, too. There is room for only one throne in your personal world, and guess what, God gets it. When you resist, the wrestling begins.

Learn from Jacob, my friend. The only way to go with God is by way of surrender. Jacob learned that the hard way—and he was left with a lifelong limp—but at the end of the day, Jacob’s fundamental approach to life changed from deceptive striving to faithful obedience. It is the surrender to a life of faithful obedience and ruthless trust that, as Andrew Murray wrote, must become “the essential characteristic of our lives.”

Are you wrestling with God? The sooner you cry “uncle” the better off you’ll be!

“The full acting out of the self’s surrender to God therefore demands pain: this action, to be perfect, must be done from the pure will to obey, in the absence, or in the teeth, of inclination.” ~C.S. Lewis

Reflect and Apply: Consider the quote from C.S. Lewis. Where in your life do you need to surrender to God’s rule? Take that to God—and say “uncle!”

Leo Burnett was an advertising executive named by Time magazine as one of the twenty most influential people of the twentieth century.  He created such memorable icons as the Jolly Green Giant, Tony the Tiger, the Pillsbury Doughboy, and my personal favorite, Charlie the Tuna.  Leo once said, “When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.”  I like that!

One of the delightful gifts God has given mankind is the ability to dream—to see into that which is not yet, to envision a brighter tomorrow, to reach for the stars.  And though our dreaming and our reaching may be perverted by human pride, selfishness and greed, even still, the very capacity to dream has been implanted in our DNA by the Creator to remind us of the kind of inexpressibly delightful world he once created for us, and will recreate for his redeemed children in the age to come.

Then, every so often, God gives us a dream.  We have other dreams, of course, not from God but rather birthed out of our own life experience, or recent (or even archived) sensory intake, or perhaps from too much pizza the night before.  But on occasion, God will allow our mind to slip into that unseen, spiritual dimension through a vision, or more likely, a dream, where we get a sneak peak into God’s preferred reality for our life.  Usually that experience will be a bit blurry, since human beings typically have a wee bit of trouble wrapping their minds around such infinite things, but our spirits are left uplifted by it nonetheless.

God gave Jacob quite a dream—one of heaven intersecting earth in which the angels of God traveled back and forth, presumably to ensure that God’s will would be carried out in Jacob’s life. (Genesis 28:12) The dream also included God himself promising to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant through Jacob as well as a reminder that his presence and protection would be with Jacob as he journeyed through life. (Genesis 28:13-15)

For Jacob, this dream became a truly defining moment. He named the place of the dream Bethel—the house of God—and he built an altar of remembrance there. Later, after God had fulfilled many of the dream’s promises, Jacob returned to Bethel (Genesis 35), which now was a sort of spiritual touchstone, an ongoing reminder of God’s sovereign right to rule over Jacob’s life and his promise to graciously and generous provide Jacob with all he needed and desired. Bethel kept Jacob reaching for the stars even while he was trudging through the mud.

The whole point of this dream was to reveal to Jacob what God was already doing—guiding, providing and protecting Jacob on his journey, even when Jacob was unaware or unable to see the Invisible Hand.  So what does that mean for you and me?  Simply that God-inspired dreams might be nice, but our faith doesn’t need to rest on them. What God might graciously reveal in a dream is simply what God is doing 24/7 in your life anyway.

Award-wining journalist Belva Davis said, “Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality.”  Even better, through Jacob, the Word of the Lord  says to you, “Don’t fear the space between your reality and God’s promises.” You see, when you are walking with God, you are living the dream!

“God deposits a dream of what we can be for Him, a dream that acts as our internal honing device.” ~Wayne Cordeiro

Reflect and Apply: Don’t fear the space between your dreams and your reality—God is there. Faith is not dependent on dreams, neither is it dissuaded by reality. Faith trusts in the God who says, “Do not be afraid, I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1) Lift up a prayer to God in which you claim that promise.

Isaac Watts was a prolific author, writing over 50 books, more than half on theology. He is best remembered, however, for his hymns, writing over 700. Even today, three centuries after he died, most hymnals have at least twenty of his songs.  It is said that as Watts was dying he was reciting one of his favorites: “I’ll Praise My Maker While I Breathe.”  Isaac Watts was captivated by the worship of God.

God has created us with a tremendous capacity—and duty—to be captivated by the worship him. He wants—and deserves—that we, too, would praise our Maker as long as we breathe.

Victor Hugo said of his pastor: “He didn’t just study God, he was dazzled by him.” That is want God wants—and deserves—from us: To be dazzled by him.

W. Tozer said, “We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God.”  An everlasting preoccupation—that’s what worship is. That’s our highest purpose, our very reason for being. The Westminster Confession and Catechisms, written in the mid 1600’s as a tool for studying doctrine, asks and answers 196 theological questions. The very first question is this: What is the chief and highest end of man? And the answer: Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.

That is why we were created:  To worship God and enjoy him forever…

To be agents of praise…
To be dazzled by his being…
To be captivated by his presence…
To be everlastingly preoccupied with worship!

That’s why you and I must fight to maintain, or perhaps reclaim, a Biblical understanding and a right experience of worship as God wants—and deserves—in our lives and our church. Paul is urging that in Romans 12:1,

“I appeal to you therefore, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.”  (Amplified)

Did you catch that?  You and I must purpose to offer our whole life to God. Not just lip service, but life service. God-pleasing worship is more than inspired music and enthusiastic singing; it means bringing everything we are and everything we have to God in a joyful recognition of his mercy. William Barclay gave one of the best definitions of worship I’ve ever come across when he wrote,

“Worship is the offering of everyday life to God.”

We are not just to honor and worship God with our words on Sundays only, but also with our entire existence in all we do from Monday through Saturday. Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

That means how we rest, play, handle money, feed our minds, care for our bodies and engage relationally is all worship! Whether it’s the fruit of our lips on Sunday or the fruit of our lives on Monday, the kind of worship that pleases God means we must always bring our “A game” and place it before God “… as a living sacrifice…” It’s the least—and best—we can do. It’s what God wants—and deserves!

That’s what God wants—and deserves—the sacrificial surrender of our everyday lives to him in worship.

“We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the psalms, and that the habit of celebrating the greatness and graciousness of God yields an endless flow of thankfulness, joy, and zeal.” ~J.I. Packer

Reflect & Apply: Stop at the very first word of chapter 12: “Therefore”.  Whenever you come to a “therefore” in the Bible, you ought to ask yourself, “what is it there for?” What Paul goes on to say in these first two verses comprises what is arguably the most important duty of all true Christ-followers: The offering of our everyday life to God as our only and reasonable act of worship. “Therefore” …what is the basis of this call to Christian duty? Hint: Go back to the previous verse, Romans 11:36.  Read and reflect on what that verse means for your life.

I’m guessing this story in Genesis 22 raises a few questions for you.  I mean, doesn’t this “Divine ask” violate everything we know and trust about the character of God?  How could a loving God ask such a cruel thing of Abraham?  And if God did that to Abraham, doesn’t that raise the question of what kind of tests will he put me through?

If you’re feeling a little upset with “the God who tests” about now, here is my advice: Relax, take a deep breath, and step back for a broader view of God. Once you go a little deeper into this story and look at it through the lens of the entire Bible, here is what you will come to understand about Divine tests:

First of all, God’s tests are never without preparation. Notice the very first line of this story: “Some time later…” With God, time comes before testing. Typically, the word “test” conjures up negative images. Tests are the enemy; they are set-ups for failure; the harder the test, the more unfair the teacher. But those kinds of tests and that kind of teacher have no place in an accurate theology of God. This test came only after the events of Abraham’s life that took place between Genesis 12 and Genesis 22.

God didn’t suddenly spring this test on Abraham—and he’ll never spring one on you. This is no pop quiz; it is not without context. Abraham has now walked with God for about 30 or 40 years, and God has been preparing him through lesser tests all along the way. God didn’t test him like this until he knew Abraham was equipped for it. And God will never give you a test that you cannot pass.

Divine tests only come when you are prepared!

Second, God’s tests are never without purpose. In Genesis 22:12, the Lord stops Abraham from slaying Isaac, and says, “Now I know that you fear God.” This word “test” is used eight times in the Old Testament when God does the testing and each time it is used in the Old English sense of the word, “to prove.”  God’s testing is not to expose, but to establish. When God says, “now I know”, that wasn’t for God’s benefit, it was to give Abraham confidence that his faith in God was no foolish faith. You see, Abraham’s faith was tested, God’s faithfulness was tested, and both were established as trustworthy in Abraham’s mind.

Divine tests will always prove that your faith in God is never misplaced.

And third, God’s tests are never without provision. Genesis 22:14 says, “So Abraham called the place ‘The LORD will provide.’” The emphasis here is not on the provision, but “the Lord who provides.”  The most important provision for Abraham is a prophetic revelation of the person of God and his plan. The physical provision, whatever that might be, is always secondary to a deeper revelation of the One who provided it, and his purpose for providing it. Through this test, Abraham learned what God wants you to learn: He is the Lord who provides!

Divine tests always result in a deeper revelation of God to you.

Now that you know about divine tests, dare you say, “bring it on!”?

 “All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Reflect and Apply:  Are you going through a test of faith right now?  If so, begin to look for a deeper revelation of who God is, a clearer sense of what God has planned, and a practical way to express trust in his character.

In Genesis 15, God appears to Abraham in a vision, and God’s first words are, “Fear not!”  God is simply responding to what’s going on in his heart. Abraham was having a sleepless night and he was afraid.

Afraid of what? There were four fears arising from Abraham’s past, common fears that you and I often face in our faith-journey, as well:

First is the fear of “what have I gotten myself into?” Abraham just had publicly humiliated four despots, overthrowing their vast army with a handful of men (Genesis 14:17-24). Dictators don’t take these kinds of humiliating defeats lightly, and no doubt fear of repercussions now griped Abraham’s heart.

When you declare your intentions to put trust in God, the Enemy will sow fear into your heart since he doesn’t take kindly to giving up spiritual territory.

The second is the fear of “what have I just given up?” After defeating these dictators, their archenemy, the king of Sodom, wanted to give Abraham a financial reward. Abraham turned it down, and while the king went back to his palace wealthy, Abraham went back to his tent empty-handed, clinging only to the promise of God.

When you take a stand for God, it is likely that a wave of fear will hit you “square in the faith” as you wonder if trusting in God will be sufficient.

The third is the fear of “have I misunderstood God’s will.” A decade prior, Abraham heard God tell him to leave everything and go to Canaan where he would be given many descendants. That was a real leap of faith since he was 90 and Sarah was 80. Now, he is a centenarian with no kid to show for it.

When you experience a delay between God’s promise and provision, fear that you misunderstood what God actually said will begin to play on your faith.

The fourth fear is “will God act in time, if at all?” In Genesis 12, impatient with God’s promised provision, Abraham took a faith detour to Egypt, apart from God’s plan, looking for human resources to keep him afloat during a famine.

The temptation to flee to “Egypt” is an ever-present danger, playing on a fear that drives you to make things happen for yourself.

So why did God allow the conditions that played on Abraham’s fears? Why didn’t he just immediately provide what he had promised?  And why doesn’t God make things easy for you and me?  Why does he delay?

Here’s why: God always creates the conditions where he can manifest his glory. And you wouldn’t want it any other way. Neither would I!  That’s how faith-testimonies are born! That’s what births spiritual legacies! That’s where Kingdom greatness is forged. It is in the gap between promise and fulfillment that God gives duel encouragement to Abraham—and to us:  “Do not be afraid. I’m your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:2)

Don’t miss what God has promised: He will be your protector—which means that you are untouchable until God’s work is done. Nothing can touch you except it come by permission of God, who is a living shield around you. Abraham believed that—and it neutralized his fears.  You should believe that, too—it’s the answer to your anxieties!

But God is more than a shield. He says also to Abraham, “I am your very great reward.” God is your greatest treasure, the only genuinely satisfying joy you will ever know, and the experience of God’s presence will be a far richer source of joy than even his promises fulfilled. The New Testament commentary on this passage, James 2:23, says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness…” Then it adds, “and he was called God’s friend.”  Abraham’s greatest reward was the relationship gained, not the results won!

And we never again read of Abraham fear’s, which were neutralized by his sense of God’s presence, God’s friendship and God’s adequacy. The turning point in Abraham’s journey was when he turned his eye from his fears and fixed them upon his Friend.

That will be the critical point in your journey of faith and obedience, too. Turn your eyes from your problem to your Friend, and like Abraham, you, will discover that God is more than adequate.

“Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.”  ~Oswald Chambers

Reflect and Apply:  What is your greatest fear?  How is your faith being tested?  Where are you waiting for God’s adequate provision?  Turn your focus off these and lock onto your Friend—he is both your shield and your very great reward.

The context for this familiar verse is the temptation of Christ. Right before Jesus began his public ministry, he entered into an extended period of prayer and fasting. And while we might think Jesus would have been at his most invulnerable by engaging in these spiritual disciplines, Satan still found him and fired three incredibly powerful temptations at him.

But three times Jesus parried the Enemy’s temptation by appealing to God’s Word. He met the first temptation with a quotation of Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  Jesus met the second temptation with a quotation of Deuteronomy 6:16, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” And the third temptation was met with a Divine dismissal wrapped in the language of Deuteronomy 6:13, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”

Now contrary to what we might assume Jesus was doing, he was not primarily quoting Scripture to scare away the devil. He was simply reminding the devil, and himself, that his life was under the sole jurisdiction of the unimpeachable authority of the Word of God. To Jesus, Scripture was his bread and butter.

It is interesting that Satan knew who Jesus was—that he was God the Son—yet tempted him anyway.  Likewise, Satan knows that you, too, are a child of God. Your identity will not stop him from unleashing an onslaught of spiritual sounding temptations to get you to compromise your standing as a child of God.

So be on guard today. It is not a forgone conclusion that you will surrender to the Enemy’s scheming—as seductive and as strong as it may be. Jesus didn’t—which means that you don’t have to either.  Jesus was under the authority of God’s Word; he knew the Word and will of God, and he used it to demolish the devil’s devices. And so can you. That’s one of the blessings of reading, reflecting on, memorizing, praying and obeying the Scripture each day, as you are doing.

And in your battle with the Tempter, let this encourage you: Since Jesus overcame his battle with temptation, he stands at the ready to help you in your battle.  So just ask him for his help—he is more than willing to come alongside you.  Hebrews 2:17-18 reminds us,

“For this reason Jesus had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

So when sin comes tapping on your shoulder today, just lean into Jesus, and then do what he did: He hit back, punching the temptation in the teeth with the Truth.

 “Satan doth not tempt God’s children because they have sin in them, but because they have grace in them. Had they no grace, the devil would not disturb them… Though to be tempted is a trouble, yet to think why you are tempted is a comfort.” ~Thomas Watson

Reflect & Apply:  The Puritan preacher, Thomas Watson, said, “Satan tempts to sin under a pretense of religion. He is most to be feared when he transforms himself into an angel of light. He came to Christ with Scripture in his mouth: ‘It is written.’” Since the devil baits his hook with spiritual sounding ideas, watch closely that you don’t meet legitimate needs and valid desires in ways that don’t come under the absolute authority of Scripture.

God gave Abraham quite an expansive dream for an old guy, didn’t he!  He was well into his senior years when God showed up and said, “Abe, I’ve got some unbelievable plans for you!”

Do you realize that among created beings, man is unique in that he alone has the ability to dream? Angels can’t dream; animals can’t dream.  The devil can’t dream, dogs don’t dream—although I think mine does.  I notice him twitching and snarling sometimes when’s he’s sleeping. I suspect he’s chasing rabbits—or better yet, cats.

But I’m not talking about those kinds of dreams. Nor am I talking about those run-of-the mill dreams that you get almost every night—some of them goofy and random, some bizarre and nightmarish, some that recycle periodically in your subconscious, revealing much about your fears and insecurities, like running but never getting anywhere, or falling but never hitting bottom, or being in front of a crowd and suddenly realizing you’re stark naked—with nowhere to hide.

The kind of dreaming I’m talking about is envisioning a better tomorrow, a successful future, or a life of significance and impact. God has given mankind alone the ability to dream—and that includes you! And I suspect that somewhere, perhaps buried deep inside you, is a dream for a fantastic future.

But your dream doesn’t even come close to the fulfillment God has in mind for you. Abraham had dreams, but what God had in mind was far more expansive than this old man could have ever imagined.  Abraham wanted a home; God had in mind a whole land—the land of promise.  Abraham wanted a child; God had in mind a nation—and not just any old nation, it would be the people of God.  Abraham wanted to make a name for himself; God had in mind to bless the entire earth through Abraham’s life.

God’s vision was far bigger and better than Abraham could have ever dreamed.  I suspect that’s true for you too!  So why don’t you dust off those dreams and bring them back before the Father who gave them to you. Henry David Thoreau wrote,

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”

If God has given you a dream, this may be the best time to start on that foundation, because now just may be the time he wants to build them into a fantastic reality. Just remember, as the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:20,

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!”

So dust off your dreams and turn them over to the Dream-Giver.  And get ready for a great future!

Reflect and Apply:  What are some of the things you’ve dreamed of doing over the course of your life?  Drag them back out of mothballs and lift them up to God in prayer.  Let him refine them, discard them for better ones, or give you an entirely new and improved dream—and then keep your dream active before him until it finds fulfillment.

You might read this story about the Tower of Babel and wonder, like I did, what’s so bad about Babel?  I mean, was God just having a bad day of something?  After all, it’s not often you see unity of purpose and effort achieved among human beings like this.  The United Nations could learn a lesson here!

So why did God look upon what these folks were doing and say, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” (Genesis 11:6-7) And at that, he put an end to their efforts, confused their language, and scattered them across the face of the earth. (Genesis 11:8-9)

The problem was not the tower they were trying to build, nor their effort to achieve unity among the nations. In large part, public work projects and united efforts are a good thing.  But in this case, good was the enemy of best.  You see, after the great flood of Genesis 7-8, God had told these nations to scatter across the earth, repopulated it and establish human civilization wherever they went. (Genesis 9:1,7) In fact, this was a critical piece of the covenant God made with Noah and his descendants (Genesis 9:8-9), and was likely the reestablishment of the original covenant God had made with but had been forfeited by Adam. (Genesis 1:26-30)

What was wrong with Babel?  Simply this: Disobedience, pride and independence from God. Instead of fully devoting themselves to God’s command, they thought they could do better. They chose to go it alone. And God put a stop to it!

That’s always the problem with human beings, including you and me, isn’t it?  Every single day, we wrestle with who is going to be God in our lives. Rather than seeking and doing what God says, we seek and do what we want to do. Of course, we acknowledge God to a degree, but then we pursue what we want. With regularity, we twist Jesus’ well known prayer of submission into, “God, not your will but mine be done!”

Stop and think about that today. Is there a Tower of Babel in your life—something that seems so good; something that makes sense to those around you; something that would advance your comfort, security and name?  Remember, what looks good to you may in fact be the enemy of God’s best for you!  Maybe it’s a purchase you are considering, a plan you are making, a relationship you are considering, or…you fill in the blank.

Peter Marshall, the venerable Chaplain of the U.S. Senate in the mid-twentieth century, once prayed,

“Save Thy servants from the tyranny of the nonessential. Give them the courage to say ‘No’ to everything that makes it more difficult to say ‘Yes’ to Thee.”

That’s a great prayer: saying no to the good and yes to the Best!  Why don’t you join me in praying that prayer all this week?

Reflect and Apply:  Let me encourage you to simply ask, “God, what do you want?”  Or as Bobby Richardson, MVP second baseman for the New York Yankees once prayed at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ meeting, “Dear God, Your will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Amen!”  Pray that prayer, my friend, and then make sure you put it into practice.