And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:17-21 (NIV)
Every month of 2020, we will feature the Love Over All theme verse on the first Sunday of the month. We love everything about Love Over All (read more about it here) and can’t wait to share these amazing verses and ways to live them out with you!
June’s theme is Love Dreams.
In an uncertain world, we’re constantly in survival mode. The worries of everyday living swirl in our minds: Will I have a job tomorrow? Will my family be able to get through on bare minimum? How can I make sure my kids feel safe when nothing feels safe? What should I make for dinner with what I’ve got in the fridge?
The urgency of the ordinary takes up the majority of our thoughts and our energy, and dreaming becomes a far off ideal that’s not feasible for times like these.
And yet, perhaps it’s exactly in these days that we need to tap back into our imaginations and dream of new ways to move forward as a community, as a nation, and as the Church.
God had a vision and a dream for His people since the beginning when everything fell apart in the Garden of Eden. Through slavery and exile and the crucifixion of His Son, God’s dream of redemption continued to be woven into those dark times. His promises echoed through history that He would come and deliver, that He would send a Messiah, and that all would be made well and right again one day.
This is still His dream for us and this world.
So even in the midst of the mundane, the injustice, and the constant survival mode we might find ourselves in, let’s still ask Him, “What are you up to, God?” Let’s listen and pay attention to how He’s moving, where the work of redemption is happening, and join Him in it.
Our dreams for the future may look different, but we can ask Him to do immeasurably more than we can imagine.
Lord,
Your love is deeper and wider than we can fathom, and because of Your love, we know You ache for the pain and loss of the world right now. Keep us rooted and remind us that You are still the God of the universe. You can do more than we could ever ask or imagine, and You desire for us to join You in the work of redeeming all things. Give us the imagination to dream with You when we can’t even see beyond the next day. In Your name, amen.
[bctt tweet=”We need to tap back into our imaginations and dream of new ways to move forward as a community, as a nation, and as the Church. #loveoverall #lovedreams” username=”incourage”]
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(in)courage friends,
I’ve seen and experienced how God can, for lack of better words, blow my mind. He can literally make our world start spinning in the opposite direction. I’ve seen Him move mountains and I know that He can do it again. Holding on to hope and dreams…
Sunday blessings,
Bev xx
In Courage,
William Cowper said “God works in mysterious ways His wonders His wonders to perform”. No one knows how or when God will move in our lives. This one thing we know God loves us to much to leave us alone in our sins. He will do just about anything to get our attention back on Him & His wondrous love & care. Holding out a lighted candle of Hope that we along with God can heal our nation & come back to Him.
Blessings 🙂
I too have seen and been witness to God working in my life. Things happened, opportunities opened, prayers answered BuT only in his timing.
Again prayerfully I wait. God is here and is with us. His power is immeasurable and his love is bottomless. He says Take heart for I am with you. Lean in, tell him your fears, your gratitude, your sorrow – He wants us to be in relationship with Him.
God Love is deeper than we can even think or ask. We have too have the same love that Jesus would want us to have. That is the love that loves everyone. I know that hard especially if someone has annoyed us. Or if we see someone getting away with something we know is wrong. Theses things can make us very angry. But we are to do what Jesus would want to do especially if saved. I know it hard. As have been there Myself. I wanted to say something once. God said no Dawn. Just keep quite. Pray for them. You say too yourself how can you love them still when they are still doing wrong. Then God said because they are not saved. What you say will make no difference too them. But you have too keep on loving them. I found it hard. But I did it. Through time they saw what they were doing was wrong and stopped. So God answered my prayers. As if I said anything to them it would have caused as row. I would have got no where. Also Jesus says we are too love all his people even the unsaved. No matter who they are. No matter what skin colour they have. Like he did when on earth. Like the kids song. I know. Jesus Loves all the children of the world Red and Yellow Black and White. I like that kids song as it reminds me to do that. Love today’s reading xxx