We all have a dream or ambition that has died a natural death maybe due to neglect or old age. From one story in the ministry of Christ, we can learn a thing or two about dead dreams and what Jesus intends to do with them.
I was reading the story of Lazarus the other day reflecting on some things in my life that have died - dreams, hopes and promises that have not yet been fulfilled. I stumbled upon those kinds of verses that are obviously there but you just never had the time to really ponder on. John 11:36 says, "So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?"
I stopped after the Holy Spirit poked on my heart once again encouraging me to dig deeper in thought. Why didn't Jesus just heal Lazarus? Sure He wasn't there and He was far away, but He had healed various people distantly before. Why couldn't He do the same for a beloved friend? Mary only seems to strengthen this case by saying, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." (verse 33)
But I came to the realisation that it wasn't that Jesus was incapable of healing Lazarus because we all know He could. It was that Jesus didn't want to. Here's something that may come as a shock: I believe Jesus wanted Lazarus to die.
Some of you might be thinking "Are you crazy? Why would Jesus want someone to die?" The answer is so glaringly simple that we can easily miss it - it's so that Lazarus and the many people who were there would come to witness something greater than healing. So that people would see a resurrection.
There is no miracle greater than the miracle of resurrection. It's the same reason why He allowed and even desired that the promises in your life die as well. You see, often God allows some dreams, hopes and promises to die because He has plans of bringing about the greatest resurrection account that you have ever seen. But of course we all know that for something to be brought back to life, it has to die first.
Just as we were once "dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:11) so many of the promises of God have died - or at least been delayed - because of sin or idolatry. But God is now even in the business of bringing them back to life.
However, here is the challenge for all of us today - have you allowed dreams that God seemingly wants to kill die? So many of us have put our dreams in a spiritual ICU refusing to let them die. Just as a seed must die before it can be planted and transformed into a magnificent tree, so our dreams must sometimes die as well but not because God wants to harm us or deprive us, but because He wants us to have a right relationship with them - and with Him. Even when our dreams are falling apart and flat lining, God can and will resurrect them in His due time if they are right for us and if we trust Him enough with their fate.
What dreams do you have today that may be dead or dying? The same way Lazarus died and rose again, the same way Jesus died and rose again, and the same way your spirit died to sin and rose again in Christ, if your dreams are in line with the will of God, they will breathe life once again. And if not, God will give you new dreams that please Him and lead you through until they have really come to pass.
