The memory vivid. My wife Merryn and I sat in emotional pain, talking.
"If this is really our last chance to have a baby and it doesn´t happen," Merryn said, "I need something else." We´d spent the past decade trying everything to start a family -IVF treatment, healing prayer, adoption - all without success. We now awaited the result of one final IVF round. "If it doesn´t happen," she said, her face downcast, "I have to have something else to look forward to."
Ironically, the previous 10 years had been fulfilling for my career. I had started a national radio show, written some books and spoken at conferences. I´d been living my dreams.
"If this IVF doesn´t work, I´d like to start again," Merryn said. "Overseas." Overseas? I thought to myself. And leave all I´ve accomplishe here behind? Merryn needed a new dream, but fulfilling it required relinquishing my own.
Dreams are important. But as much as our lives should be sifted of drunkenness, immorality, quarrels and jealousy (Romans 13:13), so our dreams must be sifted too - sifted by love. As Paul says, our ultimate obligation is to love each other (v.8). When sifted by love, some of our dreams can help others fulfill their dreams. We´re to be like Jesus (v.14), who relinquished His own dreams for us (Philippians 2:3-11). Would I do that for Merryn? I didn´t like the cost.
Well, we ultimately left Australia and moved to England where Merryn got a dream job at Oxford University. And I got an unexpected contract to write a book to help others through their own pain.
Jesus may call us to sift our dreams for others. But He often gives us some new dreams in return. - Sheridan Voysey.
Read
Romas 13:8-14
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery", "Do not murder", "Do not steal", "Do not covet", and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule : "Love your neighbour as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.
And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Philippians 2:3-11
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus :
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
takin the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death -
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Question to Ponder
If your biggest dream became a reality, who else would benefit?
How willing are you to relinquish a dream for another person?
**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue
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