Posted on October 17, 2021 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
MONUMENTAL: God-sized Dreams
By Meghan Hemenway
I have a God-sized dream. And I have a heckler, a taunter, a dissenter who tells me my dream is crazy. It’s me. I’m the doubter of my own big, wild dreams.
I was given the opportunity to rewrite my story, to start over on a new path, to build a life for me and my family different from the one we were on. This beautiful opportunity was not something I was looking for and came from one of the worst moments of my life. But sometimes we have to have an inciting event to get us moving. We need the “encouragement” of one path turning to rubble before we can start to dream about what could be. What I realized when hearing the story of Nehemiah is that I used the same strategies – praying to God, choosing to do the work, and rallying my team – when faced with the fear of going after something big and unknown.
As part of my new path I am going back to school. It started as a wild idea I kept to myself because it just seemed too crazy. I let myself dream about what it could become and prayed that God would make it clear to me that this was the path he was in favor of. I prayed so my dreams would line up with his; I prayed to make sure we were on the path together. Then I started doing the work – researching programs, figuring out the finances, considering what it would mean for my family, applying, and then doing the work of being in school again. Along the way, once I was confident in my choice and in God’s presence, I asked my community, my close supporters to dream with me. I told them it was crazy, but also maybe the only choice that made sense. My team prayed, cheered, and lifted me up because that is the thing about God-sized dreams, they usually aren’t just for one. They are big enough and grand enough that they let us dream what could be better for other people too. Or they are so small, specific, and personal that they only change one part of us, but it gets at the part God wants for us as he works us into his beautiful tapestry.
I have let myself dream a big dream, but mostly because I didn’t have another choice. I got a big shove out of my comfort zone to get me going, but without prayer and support from others I might have let my dissenter win and quit before I even tried. I might have let my negative voice talk me out of dreaming the big, wild dreams.
Observe, Reflect, Apply: God is dreaming big all the time and he has been since the beginning. He has seen the big picture and it’s his beautiful masterpiece, including all of us. Can’t you imagine he has put that spirit of desire and imagination in us too? What dreams are you dreaming and where are you in the process: praying, doing the work, or rallying the team? Have you skipped a step? Who is your team?
Observe, Reflect, Apply: In these verses David and his son discuss in great detail the design for one part of the temple. David tells Solomon after what must have felt like an impossible building project to not be discouraged. “Be strong and courageous and do the work.” Sometimes it feels like our part is to trust God and to be strong and courageous while we wait on his timing,but sometimes the hard part is doing the work. God has laid out a plan, he promises to be with us, but we also need to do the work. In what way do you need to do the work of the plan God has for you?
Observe, Reflect, Apply: David acknowledges that the task set before Solomon is daunting and that Solomon, on paper, can in no way prove he is the right one for the job. But David has faith in God’s plan and shows the others this faith by giving his own gold and other resources to the project. He encourages the others to do the same. In faith and humility David honors God and points others to this posture. How do you or how can you use what resources you have to show faith, to honor God, and inspire others?
Observe, Reflect, Apply: Solomon is a good king and because he gives glory to God and his people, God rewards him with more than what he asks for. At first read this could sound a little like having a genie grant any wish a person could desire, but what God sees in Solomon is his desire is not for his own gain, but for guidance on how to lead the people entrusted to him. God rewards him more than he even asked because of his desire to help others. In what ways has God rewarded you in a desire to help others? Where in your life might you see this desire in someone else impacting you?
Observe, Reflect, Apply: The description on the temple Solomon builds is breath taking. The size and the use of precious materials is not something we see often if ever in our modern lives. It must has been this way for people at the time as well who must have marveled at its beauty, it’s massive size, and even the amount of work that went into building it. It reminds me of the descriptions in Revelations of the new kingdom, the size, the gold and jewels and the specifications. Not only is it breathtaking, but it is very specific in its design, just like the temple Solomon builds, and just like the promises God lays out for us. The people of the time must have noticed this too and been reminded of not only God’s sovereignty, but his ability to fulfill every promise in great detail. Where are you in awe of God’s specificity? How can the minute details remind you of his faithfulness and ability to fulfill promises completely?
Observe, Reflect, Apply: In this chapter Solomon completes the temple and gets to present it to the priests. This temple represented the covenant of God to his people, but it was also the fulfillment of a promise a son made to his father. Solomon was able to stand and present his hard work and faithfulness and know that it was the faithfulness his father had in him that put him in that position in the beginning. It was the faithfulness of generation after generation believing in God and his promises; the faithfulness of many generations that never got to see the fulfillment but carried on anyway. In this temple, those present were rewarded and bolstered on – what a gift. So many of us never get to see the fulfillment of our faithfulness. What decisions are you making for your future generations? In what ways can you see the faithfulness of your ancestors playing out in your life?
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources).
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
Please visit us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and share what you are learning, questioning or experiencing. We love conversations!
