Last night, with the help of God, I shared the first devotion for the XC team as the team chaplain. I wanted to blog it here in case anyone wanted to think about it some more. I'm just a regular person filling the leadership role of team chaplain. I came upon this role after my wonderful husband asked me if I wanted to lead the devotions for the men and women's college cross country team. I actually rejected the idea several times before God placed it on my heart to do it. I was in the car with my teenage daughter and several ideas started running through my head that I felt was God's Holy Spirit preparing me to share a devotional. Since I was driving I had her text an affirmative to hubby that I would do it.
When I got home, I prayed and asked God to use me to share a devotion with the "kids". Yes, I know college students are not children but we are all God's kids, right? My first love, is teaching so I couldn't help myself and I prayed and asked God for a title for this little chat. I wrote down, "are you a dreamer?" Then I felt a little disappointed that all I could come up with was the story of Joseph in Genesis. I was thinking, those kids are going to think they are in Sunday School and they will not take me seriously. I mean, who hasn't heard the story of Joseph a million times? There's a broadway play, a veggie tale, a movie etc. Think about it, you could live under a rock and still know the story of Joseph. I might as well do a devotion on Jonah and the Whale (not that there's anything wrong with that account in the Bible). Oh God, I prayed, why did you send me to Joseph? They are going to sleep through this, daydream and wish for dessert (the chat was after dinner). Since I am blogging this after the fact, God sent me there to Joseph for a reason. Even if just one heart took away a truth in the devo, I know it was not me but God using me to inspire a dreamer. So here is goes...
Are you a dreamer?
Some of you knew when you were very young what you wanted to be when you grew up. From an early age you aspired to be a writer, a doctor, a nurse, engineer or a teacher. For you, dreams came easily. You have been dreaming of your future ambitions throughout your life. Some of you tuned out as soon as I said "are you a dreamer?". You thought to yourself, this is going to be a right brained, get all creative chat. You just don't go there. You are the practical one and dreams are not something you entertain. However, no matter where your perspective is in relationship to your dreams, you decided to go to college to pursue a degree. That is why you are here today on this college cross country team. Even the most practical person here has ambitions and ambitions generally start with dreams.
You probably know the story of Joseph. He was given a dream by God in which he was a leader. You know the details. When he shared his dream with his brothers, they hated him; they plotted to kill him. Even his father rebuked him (Genesis 37:10-11). Unbeknownst to his father, the brothers plotted his death. One brother, Reuben, convinced the other brothers not to shed his blood. He suggested putting Joseph in a pit with no water. I guess he planned to try to rescue him later (Genesis 37:22). But another brother, Judah, convinced the brothers to get him out of the pit and sell him into slavery. Eventually, Joseph ends up in Potiphar's palace. Then in Genesis 39:2, I found something that really stood out to me." the Lord was with Joseph". If God gives you a dream, God will make a way for you. If you continuing reading the passage, Joseph was very successful in Potiphar's palace. God allowed Joseph to be successful there and it was the beginning of his resume as a leader. Things were finally looking up for Joseph, but just like our lives, Joseph faced a temptation or maybe it was a trial, I don't know. He was highly pursued by Potiphar's wife. The Bible makes it clear that Joseph was good looking and Potiphar's wife wanted him to "come to bed with her" (Gen. 39:12). You should read the pursuit for yourself. You know what happens next, she lies about Joseph because he resisted her and he is sent to jail. When I read that I felt awful for Joseph for being wrongly accused especially since life had finally gotten better for him. I don't know how much time elapsed between when his brothers sold him into slavery and his prosperity in the palace to his incarceration but if it was me, I would be questioning the dream and the presence of God. Gen. 39:22, indicates that God was with Joseph and even in prison he was successful and a leader. Even when everyone around him benefited from his gifts and he was stuck in prison, he did not stray from God. Eventually, he wisely gives an interpretation to Potiphar's dream and it saves the lives of the Egyptians and his own people. The dream he had in his youth becomes reality and life is better for everyone because he held fast to the dream God gave him (Gen 47:5).
What dream has God placed on your life? Are you pursing a God dream? Are you a God chaser? Will you use the example of Joseph to help you through the trials? God doesn't give you a dream and then life is "everything coming up roses". You are going to face difficulties. You will encounter people who make it their job to be dream killers. I remember when I said what I wanted to pursue in college, some people in my own family tried to discourage me. One person told me I was going to the wrong college while I was at college. So what do you do when stuff like that happens? Do you rely on texting your friends about it and talk to everyone about it or do you seek God about it.
You can hear this tonight and ask yourself if you are pursing a God dream and leave it at that. However, I want to show you how the Bible can help you pursue a God dream. Then you can go back to what God places on your heart and nurture it. Here are some verses to help you in your pursuit of your God dream. Crack open your Bible and look them up for yourself. Be brave, you could even memorize one or two and transfer them into your prayers when you talk to God.
1. Psalms 51:10 is a prayer David wrote. Ask God to give you a pure heart.
2. Do your desires help you or do they hurt you as you pursue your God dream?
God will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4) but flee from evil desires (2 Tim 2:22)
3. Remember, God promises to always be with you (Matthew 28:20) and what should you always do? Rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4:4) Remember Joseph? Sometime life is crappy!
4. I think you should memorize this one...1 Corinthians 16:13-14 "Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be men and woman of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.
That's all folks! Be blessed!
