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That is why the LORD says,
“Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts.
Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve,
sending you a blessing instead of this curse.
Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine
to the LORD your God as before.
The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost
to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts,
the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts.
It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.
Once again you will have all the food you want,
and you will praise the LORD your God,
Never again will my people be disgraced.
“Then, after doing all those things,
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.”
“One step forward, two steps back.” An optimist calls that a cha-cha. A disillusioned dreamer might call that time to stop dancing. How do you see it? How do I? Well, I’m getting stronger. When sadness, despair, and anxiety threaten to overtake me, I’m not nearly as afraid as I used to be, though I still don’t like it. When I hear about friends’ misfortunes, my response is “Thank God it’s no worse than it is….” I’m getting stronger.
I no longer wonder from whence my strength comes. (<===Click to Tweet) At my lowest, I threaten to become a Philistine; that wouldn’t work. Gospel recording artist Ricky Dillard gives to the cry from deep within me,
“There is no way I can live without You. There is no way I can go on. Burdens are too much for me to bear. There is no way I can live without You. I have tried…”
That is when I am most grateful for the Truth in His The Word. It never says in Joel 2 that all will be well. In fact, it’s clear that circumstances are going to get pretty desperate. The day of the Lord is coming, and the only way to survive it is to stay close, and to remember a promise. To remember a promise-the promise is that you will dream again. I’m getting stronger.
My strength is not my own. It is rather the confidence I have developed in God’s Word that reminds me to “turn…while there is time.” I don’t need answers. I don’t need solutions. I rely upon a promise.
My strength is nothing more than the good sense to shelter under His Wing. (<===Click to Tweet) That’s easy. That I can do. I believe in a Promise, because He never lied. And when sadness, despair, and anxiety try to assault me, to rob me of the dreams God cultivated before time began in order to plant them deep within me, I am reminded that while trouble may draw near, I am covered by many such promises.
You may not be ready to Cha-Cha. You may feel as though you cannot lift your head, cannot raise your voice, cannot reach out to the dreams you know God crafted within your heart. On those days, at those times, hear the words of God by way of the Prophet Joel, penned nine centuries before God sent His Son into the world…
“I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.”
You will dream again. That’s a Promise.
Shared By: Chelle Wilson
Meredith Bernard says
February 16, 2015 at 12:21 pmWhat a great word today, Chelle. Thanking God with you that we don’t need answers or solutions, because we have a PROMISE. Hands raised! Amen. <3
Chelle/Hisandtheirbeloved says
February 17, 2015 at 8:55 amMeredith,
Thank you. Sometimes the hard things are the only things we have to hold on to.
Praying for new lessons, but grateful for these.
In Peace,
Chelle
Alecia Simersky says
February 16, 2015 at 2:47 pmThis is one of the most powerful posts I’ve read in a while. You write from your heart and soul, Chelle and it is beautiful.
Chelle/Hisandtheirbeloved says
February 17, 2015 at 8:56 amAlecia,
So grateful to have you along the way…even when it’s hard, we know, we will dream again.
Chelle
betsydecruz says
February 18, 2015 at 12:55 amI love your first line: “One step forward, two steps back.” An optimist calls that a cha-cha. A disillusioned dreamer might call that time to stop dancing.” This is beautiful, inspiring encouragement for those of us who have encountered hard knocks and struggles. (And who hasn’t.) I’m with you, those things don’t scare me as much as they used to, but I still don’t like them! But God transforms everything.
Chelle/Hisandtheirbeloved says
February 18, 2015 at 10:24 amBetsy,
here’s a secret-I’m a dancer, so I’m tickled that the analogy worked for you. Like you, I despise the struggle, but, Hallelujah, God does transform everything, including our perspective from one where we fight the hard knocks and struggles to learning balance, fortitude, and grounding ourselves in His Word. Thank you for being kind enough to comment.
May you dance in His Arms.
Chelle