Surrender, A Beautiful Obedience

I had a dream---a little dream.

It lit before sleep just as I pulled the sheets to crawl under.

When I woke the morning, the dream sat on the table. I picked it up and tucked it away.

Until the day, I pursued the dream. I told others about the dream, prayed God would open the door to the room where the dream would find its place in the real, in the tangible, the measured.

I followed after the dream, intent, determined not to set it aside. I focused on the dream for a long time. I pampered it and let it grow. My little dream grew into a Big Dream.

Finally, the vision of the Big Dream was in place. I was ready to let the dream take on form, find its way out of the clouds into the world.

I took it all tidy and neat to the Dreamer’s door. (There is a door dreams must enter, the passage from being what could be, to what is.)

When I arrived at the door, it was locked. 

I looked around, perplexed. I looked around for other dreamers, for someone who knew the way in. Someone had the key. In my searching, I noticed a note stuck to the sash, “Leave your dream at the Door.”  

Just when I had stepped forward to the dream realized, I knew without a doubt I had to relinquish my dream. Bending low, I surrendered my well-laid plans, laid them down gently and walked away.

The day I surrendered my dream, I felt my spirit soar.

There was unexpected joy in surrenderIng. It surprised me, freed me.

Dreams take the heart on journeys. 

I have taken other dream journeys--- journeys where doors swung open just as I arrived at my destination.

But if I am honest there have been other times when I have banged on the door of dreams. I have held them close to my heart, treasured them like they were mine—mine---mine. I have hammered on dream doors until my fist was bruised. 

By God’s grace, this time I took the dream to the place it was to rest. I laid it down and was lifted up. The One who gave me the dream didn’t take it from me. He only asked me to leave it be.

God gave Hannah a child. In her broken barrenness, God blessed her with a baby boy. His name was Samuel. She vowed to give him back to God. When he was weaned, Samuel slipped his little boy hand around his mother’s pinky finger and they walked the dusty path to the Shiloh. Hannah gave her dream-come-true back to God. 

And then she worshipped. 

God dreamed the Big Dream of redemption. We know the story, the story of God who surrendered the glory of heaven to live here among the unholy, the sinful, the sick, the selfish. Jesus, wrapped in dirt flesh, his heart pumping hot, pure, and holy blood came and lived among us.

Jesus---  “…who for the joy that was set before him 

endured the cross…

Jesus surrendered to the shame and the pain of the cross so those He created, those He loves, could be forgiven, redeemed. He surrendered to death so we can live---forever.

Jesus’ life and death was no dream. It was real and it was witnessed.  

The death of Jesus Christ was the act of surrender that changed everything.

On the cusp of a new year, I am dreaming a new dream. New words are being written on my heart. They may make it through the Dreamer's Door or they may sit on the step. 

One thing I've learned on this dream journey: surrender is a beautiful obedience.

The boy Samuel grew to be a holy and righteous judge, a prophet, the mouthpiece of God. With God-given inspiration, he said this:

And Samuel said, 

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?   Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Empty hands, palms up, open to the new. Open ears hear new revelations.

Open is my word this year. I am emptying today, open to what tomorrow brings. 
Receiving. Dreaming. Surrendering. 
Arms wide open.

This past year was a year of surrender for me. I have learned many lessons in it. The year ahead is sure to hold new dreams. Some will find their way out of the clouds. Others will sit. 

Thank you for reading and commenting as I re-entered the blogging world this past year. I crept slowly back in and have posted about once a week.

For those of you who have prayed for my Dad and our family, he begins the 'transplant' phase of his treatment for cancer tomorrow. January begins with hope and gratefulness despite the pain, the heartache, the incredible life adjustments that have come with this terrible illness.

Your prayers are appreciated. I may not be posting here for most of the month, but I am excited about a much-needed blog renovation coming in February---my birthday gift to myself in my 'golden year.' Hope you'll join me then. I may be missing from the feeds  in the weeks ahead.

Thanks so much for reading, for being encouragers in my life. I can't tell you what it has meant to me…

Blessings in the New Year, Dea

Linking with Jennifer at #TellHisStory and Emily at Imperfect Prose