There is so much excitement about the changing dates, fleeting excitement for some, profound and lingering for others maybe. Tonight we make the joyful sounds; inundated with joys of others and the next minute we back to reality, reminded of the realness of the world we live in. Reminded of the dreams that never materialized. We feel once again that gnawing sense of tension and anxiety, reminded of the tragic turns and twists we've had to deal with while our hopes still never came to fruition! We are reminded of the many nights we've had to pace and mutter under our breath, praying for one single miracle that our situation may change; that we may be better appreciated by a mean boss; loved by a special one; that our wombs may carry to full term that fertilized embryo we were so happy about and rejoiced over a couple of weeks or months ago; that our hard earned monies be spent on better things rather than the numerous trips to the hospital and pharmacy to buy nameless drugs...some cosmic power not even turning us back at it's lobby. Before long we are reminded of all these unfulfilled dreams...but! hold up a bit. Wait right there before you fall back into that stinking, putrid, malodorous pit of self pity and hopelessness. *Eeeeewwwhhh* Remember Joseph in the Bible? You know him? Yeah, that dreamer boy. You gerrit. His was one of the first stories I enjoyed in primary school in my BK (Bible Knowledge) class. Truth be told, I never understood it a bit only knew he was sold into slavery and his brothers came begging for food at some point in their moment of severe hunger.
Today I read that story again. I actually read it and felt it and understood it. You see, Joseph had a dream, even though his was in a spiritual realm not like the mental dreams we create of aspirations and hopes of things to come. Joseph had a dream. Himself with his other half-brothers were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly his own sheaf rose and stood upright, while those of his brothers gathered around his and BOWED to it! Oh boy! What a powerful dream and he told his brothers! The young lad didn't stop at revealing that one dream, he went further to reveal a second of the sun, moon and the eleven stars bowing to him. Amazing naivety! There is so much to be learned about who we trust to share our dreams with but I also live with an understanding that things unfold as planned by the ever creative God. His telling fell under the grand scheme of things. So Joseph in all his innocence shared these dreams with brothers who already hated him and somehow ended up intensifying the bitterness they had against him. What happened thereafter? He was sold into slavery for a paltry amount, you guessed right!
Several chapters later after the dream was divulged in Genesis 37, the Bible also made such an astounding record. See this, "Now Joseph was the GOVERNOR of the land, the person who sold grain to ALL its people. So when Joseph's BROTHERS ARRIVED, THEY BOWED down to him with their faces to the ground". *I am really stifling my screams as I type this* Marvelous! I just had to emphasize those words. Do you know how long it took for this dream to come to pass? After years of trial and hardship. I know we all wonder why God allows evil to happen and why the promises won't just fall into our laps, truthfully, I wonder too but this year I have learned to completely trust God not because of what He has done or not done but because of the tremendous power He wields. He can do all things. The way the devil torments me of my age and my singleness is the way God reminds me of His awesome power and He constantly reminds me of how much He loves me, even better. Today, I had to go from Omole to Yaba for the weekend and was on the road lugging bags when a car stopped for me in the estate. He was going farther than I alright but he had an option of taking the 3rd mainland bridge in order to avoid the many potholes on Ikorodu road but guess what he did, he opted to take that same Ikorodu road and dropped me exactly where I was going. In all this, the only thing that rang in my mind was a voice telling me, "Oyinlola, I've got your back because I love you". I smiled. I laughed. I hugged God in my spirit. I wasn't expecting a free ride and that's what usually happens. Let God surprise you, He thrives in daunting projects. He sure cares and would make things happen.
All those promises, those dreams, those hopes will come to pass. That's all I am trying to say to you dearie and to myself too. As you rejoice today please never let that joy be truncated. Keep rejoicing everyday knowing you have a Heavenly Father that cares silly about you. So it doesn't matter how long the hope has been festering in your heart, keep the dreams alive. We all suffer from unfulfilled longings but remember Joseph's story when you are tempted to think that faith is nothing but a childish fantasy. Don't let your faith die with 2014. That will be the greatest disservice you ever do yourself.
I pray that God gives us grace to hold on to our dreams as He strengthens us to live them out in the power of His Spirit.
Have a beautiful 2015 friends and thanks for being a great part of my 2014. Mindplosive and I would never have been the same without you. For your encouragement, comments, stories, inviting friends to come read too, for increasing good traffic on my page, I say a big thank you and to all who secretly urge me on...
Go dazzle lovelies! e-hugs
