A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

I've been pondering dreaming.

As in imagination.

Of course, Walt Disney is famous for this little melody that oft pops into my head, "A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you're fast asleep..." The catch is that you have to "keep on believing" for it to come true. It seemed to work out well for Cinderella...

Quite a lot of people have made twitter-worthy comments about dreaming. A few have caught my eye. I don't necessarily agree with them all, but they have factored into my musings.

As for me, I have a tendency to believe that 

our dreams are a gift, which the Lord puts in our hearts, so His plans for us don't die.

That was certainly true for Joseph (you can start reading in Genesis 37 through the rest of the book if unfamiliar, which I doubt).

He never wavered from God's dream for him.

Even when his brothers mocked him and turned on him.

Even when thrown into a pit.

Even when sold into slavery.

Even when unrightfully convicted of a crime.

Even when he was forgotten in prison.

Joseph clung to God's dream for his life.

And, in the midst of all the hardship...

When Joseph found himself lost somewhere in the middle of his story...

When Joseph looked at the time difference (his current age, what was left of it, and the unfilled dream)...

Joseph persevered; he clung; and, he trusted in the Lord.

Joseph never stopped believing his dream was God's dream.

In the end it worked out well for Joseph, too.

There in the middle, God had purpose:

It takes time to mold a man's heart into the kind of person the Lord needs for fulfilling a God-size dream. 

Sometimes, I've felt lost in the middle of my story...

Sometimes, I've wondered about timing...

...and about dreaming.

Is it a waste?

Never in God's economy!!!

There's always intent.

There's always purpose.

My job: to keep believing. 

Not in the dream.

In the dream-maker!

That's the take away from Joseph's story...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
Lean not  on your own understanding...
In all your ways acknowledge HIM!
And He WILL MAKE your paths straight!

(A teasing hint: There will be a little more on this topic next week.)