When I was in high school I read an awesome book called Dangerous Wonder by Michael Yaconelli. We were reading it for our Bible study at night and our Bible study required you to read a passage of the book during the week and write down a few questions. Now, what I really liked (not at the time) about this Bible study that we did at our church was that if you didn’t do the homework, you didn’t get to stay at the small group discussion that we broke into. If you didn’t get to stay at that event for so many times, you were ineligible for any mission trips that the youth group was going on.
They knew how important getting into God’s word and reading and learning was to sharing and helping others. On thing that has always stuck with me was something called a Dream Stealer. A dream Stealer is explained like this “Somewhere along the way we had the child chased out of us. Our childlikeness is usually snuffed out by people who tell us what we can’t do. They are dream stealers…” They go on to describe how in Matthew – the new Christians were so excited – they were “giddy with the exhilaration for following Jesus.” The Pharisees basically told them to stop.
“You are not to work on the Sabbath! Religion is about rules and regulations and you are acting irresponsibly….
…they might as well have said. ‘Look, religion should not make you full of life, it should be serious business. Religion is all about rules and regulations. Learn where the lines are. Now, obey the Sabbath and behave like the rest of us and we’ll give you another chance.’ In effect Jesus said to them, ‘You can have your rules. I’ll keep giving people their dream of an adventurous faith! Christ is the Dream Giver who wants us to listen to His dream for us so we can run like children in the fields of His grace. Trouble is, the fields are full of obstacles- obstacles that deafen us to God’s dreams for us and keep us from an adventurous faith.”
Do you remember when you first met the love of your life? Of first saw your children? First started a new job? Your first time doing most things you are so excited, the excitement is hard to contain. With love, I remember waking up thinking of my husband when we were dating with a huge smile on my face. I still wake up with a smile on my face, but it isn’t out of anticipation and exhilaration (unless I refocus and recommit myself). I can’t remember when it was that I officially accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. I think that I was around 5 years old when I asked my parents about it and they walked me through the steps to ask Jesus into my heart. Then for years and years after, I wasn’t sure that I had done it right and so I would re-ask. Although it was unnecessary, my asking him into my heart when I felt called to do so became me asking Him to renew my heart.
There are ways to reclaim the passion, there are ways to remember what it is like to realize that Jesus died for our sins. I mean come on people –that is a huge deal! Today – I am going to re-claim my passion that I get when I am reminded that Jesus is our Lord, our Savior and HE IS RISEN! Even as a SAHM, I CAN make a difference in people’s lives- mainly my kids. Reclaim your passion today too – remember what Christ did for us and lets not let the Dream Stealers take that away from us. I am not going to let my current situation stand in my way of being on-fire for Christ!
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