Last Christmas

Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

Matthew gives us dreams. He's the only one to know intimately Joseph's dreams. Joseph dreams and makes Mary his wife, in spite of her being pregnant and not by him. He dreams and they flee to Egypt, he dreams and they come home.

Dreams here are linked to prophecy, always to explain why they are important. Now maybe this is the thing here. We get to see the dream of God fulfilled in dreams. How many of you act upon your dreams? We all have dreams, right?

Dreams of what might be for our future. Dreams as we wind down in our years. Dreams of our legacy. What might be the dream of God though?

This is probably one of the hardest things for us to struggle with, maybe because we don't ask the question. Maybe because we are afraid of where God may lead us. After all, Joseph returns, but being afraid he doesn't settle right in Jerusalem or Judea, no he goes to Nazareth where nothing good comes from. He alters the plan, but its still in line with prophecy.

What keeps us from exploring the dream of God? What is the dream of God? Do we live the dream of God?

Maybe today is a day to write these in a journal and sit and think about these. Maybe today is the day we look towards the sky and see where the stars are leading us, just like the Magi. Sit, think, ponder and then write and think this question, "How am I called to participate in the dream of God?"

Joseph didn't sit on his hands and do nothing. Each time he has a dream he immediately goes and does as God told him in the dream. He travels all the way to Egypt, and comes back. He risks taking Mary as his wife. He actively does what God has asked him to participate him at great cost.

Here is the thing, God's dream does ask us to count the cost. To sacrifice our own dreams, our own plans, our own wanting to be recognized. Participating in God's dream asks us to go into exiled places, places we might not consider right. To live in a different culture or land than we have ever been in before. 

It is all worth exploring though because participating in the dream of God fulfills us in ways we can't imagine. It is fulfilling hope. It is fulfilling grace. It is fulfilling love. Isn't that a dream worth spreading?