Devotionals by Dr. M. Craig Barnes
I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. --
These are strange words to us.
We are more accustomed to hearing people tell us that our dreams are not big enough.
"You should aim higher," someone always says. "You are settling for too little."
Well, maybe. But what is the greater sin - settling for too little or not being grateful for what you've already received?
The trick to dreaming is learning how to turn it into prayer.
Apart from prayer, our dreams become nothing more than wishful thinking about the future and harsh judgement about the present.
But when we pray our dreams, we commune with God.
In time, this holy communion transforms us by giving us God's own dream for our lives.
And God's dream is that we learn how to receive his blessed grace, one day at a time.
It is amazing how little the Bible says about goals and objectives, and how much it says about blessings.
God is not waiting until your life is over to evaluate if you met his demanding goals for your life.
No, God has always been involved in the ordinary routines of your day, showering more blessings upon you today than you can see.
But that is only because you are rushing by his blessings on your way to the next goal.
The blessings that are coming from God tomorrow are "too great and too marvelous" for you to see today.
The light of future glory will blind you if you look on it before you're ready.
-- Craig Barnes