Christmas HOPE - Day 11

Matthew 1:20-"As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit."

Dreams are interesting sometimes aren't they? Sometimes we remember them when we wake up, others not so much. Still, some dreams are in the waking hours. We're told, "Dream BIG", "Dream on", "Keep on dreaming!" Honestly, I love these kind of statements and tell them to people a lot! Why? Because when we're not able to dream and/or imagine the possibilities of what could be....we can easily lose hope. I'm going to get overly personal in this particular blog and share a dream I had the other night. Before you read too much into this, know that I believe in all my heart this dream came directly from Jesus himself. Here goes....

In a dream I imagined I walked up to a cave. Entering into it I heard some noises, amongst them was a mother who was recovering from delivering a baby, a father who was so thrilled because he’s got a new son, people who were there celebrating this young child and bringing gifts to his birthday party. I thought of all the celebration that goes on with the birth of a new child. People were running out from the cave and shouting loudly to come and see the new baby! Approaching the child I looked at him as the most perfect baby. Making eye contact there was a message that came from him in the form of a 'goog' and 'gaga', that wouldn’t make sense until later in life. Then after congratulating the parents, I left the cave. It dawned on me as I walked away that this miracle baby was going to grow into the only perfect human being; without flaws or shortcomings, sinless. No other child I’ve seen come into this world is like this one I just experienced. That was Jesus I saw! Like the lambs that were required for a sacrifice at the temple as an atonement for sins, this one lamb was surrounded by Shepherds who’d abandoned their flocks at the temple so they could be in this child’s presence. They’d heard about him and a coming lamb for hundreds of years and now he was finally here! He would grow to be a man, the kind of man that I could only dream of being. Looking in a mirror at 28 years of age into my own eyes, with years of regret behind me, I recalled the message from the eye contact I’d made with that child. It wasn’t 'goog' and 'gaga', it was simply this: “I was born to die, so that you may live, that you can change. I love you that much Bruce, and I love people that much.” It’s not about religion, it’s about our relationship. Let’s build on that from here. Change starts today. It’s not too late. I now live in you, see me in you. See me in others. And once you have, tell people of what I did for you so I can give them life too.”

This is the hope of a shepherd.

This is my call. This is my hope for you this Christmas.