by Dar Winans
As we walk out our faith, as we travel through this life, God gives us hope. God gives us dreams. They may be actual dreams or visions, or they may be dreams or aspirations to do great things for His kingdom. There are many Bible characters who had dreams, like Joseph, Daniel, and many of the prophets. But today I want to look at Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her dreams.
Luke 2:19: “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
What things did Mary treasure up in her heart? Mary saw great things: her cousin Elizabeth prophesied over her; the angel who visited her and called her blessed among women; the angel who told Joseph in a dream to stay with Mary and not to quietly divorce her as he had planned; she saw the shepherds who came and bowed down and worshipped – lowly shepherds, worshipping her son, the Messiah! She saw the wise men who came with gifts of wealth and value like she had never seen – gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
She treasured all the things that happened surrounding the birth of her son, and she pondered them in her heart. She probably wondered what it all could mean – she had hopes and dreams for her son Jesus. She pondered and wondered how He would save His people.
But she probably never could have imagined what would happen to her son Jesus in his lifetime, how his life would end with death on a cross. At the foot of the cross, with her son dying and gasping for breath, we see Mary again in the book of John 19:26-27:
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
We can’t imagine Mary’s disappointment and sadness at watching her son die – she had all these hopes and dreams for her son! What about what the angel had said, that He would be Emmanuel, God with us? She must have been very sad and confused. However, we can’t imagine her joy three days later when she learned He had raised from the dead! Hallelujah, He has risen!
What hopes and dreams has God given you? As a teenager, I graduated high school, and I was floundering with decisions a young adult makes, like what career should I choose? Which college should I attend? Is there someone, a husband, out there for me?
As I was pondering these things in my heart, the Lord whispered to me, “I have the very best for you.” I couldn’t imagine all that was in store for me, all that was wrapped up in that promise God gave me, “I have the very best for you.”
A few years passed, and I met and fell in love and got married – my husband was God’s best for me. We bought a home, and had three children, and I thought were, as the world says, “living my best life”, and that was what the Lord meant when He said He had the best for me.
However, as anyone who has lived very long knows, life comes with trials and tribulations. But as we follow God, whether in good times or trial, whether in plenty or in want, He has the very best in store for us. He is teaching us as we walk out our faith.
One of my children nearly died at birth, but then God revived him and healed him! BEST! We had a period of financial struggle – my husband was injured and out of work for two years, and we almost lost our house, and I was questioning God, did He really have the best for me?
My husband entered the ministry, and I was struggling to get on board with that, with moving away from family and home, wondering, “God, is this really the best You have in store for me?” But then God blessed our ministry, and I realized, as always, that God is right and good and faithful. He is true to His promises!
I could go over so many times when I went through trials, wondering what God’s best was for me in that moment, and finding that He is true to His word every time. The point is, God may have given you a dream, a promise, a hope or desire that you’ve treasured in your heart. But you are in the middle of the ups and downs of seeing that dream come to fruition. You’re wondering how it will all come together. We’re like Mary, pondering these things in our hearts.
Maybe your dream seems like it is dead and in the grave – but S UNDAY’S COMIN’!! That dream, because it was promised by God, and He is faithful to complete His promises, will become a reality! It will come to fruition! He is so faithful!
I encourage you all, those who are reading this, don’t give up on the dream God has given you! He has the very best for you!
