My desk calendar for 2017 offers an inspirational quotation for each month. I’m looking at January — “You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” 
I’ve been thinking about those words. They could apply in so many different situations. Students dream of a particular career and hang on to that dream as they pursue their education. Couples approach marriage with the dream that they can share their years in peace and harmony. On a much simpler level, I sat down this morning to write this blog with the dream that hopefully I could come up with something to say.

Unfortunately some dreams fail to come true – the career just doesn’t fly, the marriage leads to divorce, the draft of my message may end up crumpled in the waste basket.

But does this quote apply to our life as Christians? I think it does.

If I want to live a life filled with the love of Christ, I first have to dream that such a life is possible. That possibility leads me to seek my Lord in prayer and in His Word. It leads me to want to love my neighbor, to try to show that love. If I don’t dream that a life filled with love is even possible, then I’d probably just give up and focus on me, me, me.

Best of all, you do not need to fear failure in living out the love of Christ. Your attempt will not end crumpled in the trash. You have the wonderful promise that God will forgive all your wrong turns. He will lead you back to His way. He will be close beside you on your good days and on your bad days – everyday!  So dream the dream – you can live your life filled with the love of Christ because He loves you.

Read Psalm 32:8, and remember: God goes with you on your journey and loves YOU unconditionally!

Judy

Today’s reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2032:8