All of us have these big dreams as a kid, and by big dreams I just mean that all of us know to a certain extent what we want when we get older. For some of us we know early on what career path we want. For some, we know where we want to live or what kind of car we want. Even from early on in our lives we have some dreams for our lives.
But as it does, life happens! And it happens fast many of us, at some point, slam head on into the realization that some of our dreams will never be realized.
That observation throws some people into a depression or into a mid-life crisis. For others it causes them to settle for less. But there are those who, upon realization that their dream just wasn’t going to happen, who are willing to trade one dream in for another. To be honest, all of us who are followers of Jesus are called to do that very thing! To trade in our dreams and plans for the God’s plans and dreams for us! Jesus, in the garden before His arrest, did the same thing when He said to His Father “not my will but yours”
That’s what Joseph did!! I mean, talk about dreams! He had some huge dreams. At 17 he dreamed his 10 older brothers would bow down to him, which, he should have kept that dream to himself!! It’s one thing to have that dream it’s another thing to share that dream with said brothers!!
Especially when those brothers already had issues with the younger son because of the favoritism he was shown by their father. Blatant favoritism!! He gave Joseph this incredibly expensive ornate robe as a symbol that he was his father’s favorite son and would be his main inheritor.
All of you who have siblings know that this would not have sat well with the other siblings! The brothers banded together and tossed, as they called him “the dreamer” in a ditch, eventually selling him into slavery at the first opportunity. The next thing Joseph knew he was waking up in Egypt.
From there his life was a rollercoaster ride. One minute he is a slave, the next in charge of an Egyptian official’s house. The next in prison. The next in charge of the prison. Then he found himself in front of Pharaoh, called upon to interpret the leader’s dreams. With God’s help he was able to warn Pharaoh he would have seven years of abundant crops that he should be put in storehouses in anticipation of seven years of famine. Recognizing his wisdom, Pharaoh put Joseph 2nd in command of all of Egypt.
And because of God’s personal involvement in his life, he was able to save his family. The same family that God was building into a nation. Joseph was in position to bring his family to Egypt and give them the most fertile land to work. And it was definitely fertile! In the time they were there they were “fruitful and increased greatly” (Exodus 1:7).
Joseph could have lost his life getting caught up in the details of his life, chasing his dreams and desires. Instead, he chose a better story. God’s story.
You can do the same. If your life’s dream has stalled, look to God. If your dream now realized is not all you thought it would be, look to God. He can give you another dream. A better one, not according to the world’s standard but God’s! Just like Joseph’s. Then you’ll have a story to tell.
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