Dare to Dream

Recently, I had a thought-provoking conversation with my brother that left a lasting impression on me. During our discussion, he made an intriguing statement: "You just had a Joseph moment." My immediate reaction was curiosity; I asked, "What is a Joseph moment?" He explained that a Joseph moment occurs when you possess a profound insight about a particular situation. Yet, that insight isn't embraced or appreciated by those around you—much like Joseph's experiences with his brothers and father.

Fascinated, I decided to delve into the story of Joseph, which is beautifully illustrated in Genesis chapters 37 through 50. Most of us are familiar with the tale of Joseph, the favored son who stirred envy among his brothers. However, I wanted to focus on the remarkable dreams he experienced. One day, while his brothers were tending their father's sheep in the vast, sunlit fields, Joseph approached them with a spark of excitement and proclaimed, "Listen to this dream I had…" He proceeded to divulge the details of his vision to his brothers, unaware of the storm of discontent it would unleash.

As I reflected on this story, several thoughts crystallized in my mind. It struck me that Joseph never asked for these dreams; he was just an ordinary boy who cherished his family and fulfilled his responsibilities at home. Yet, God had a grand plan for Joseph's life. Long before the world's foundation was laid, God had a divine purpose for Joseph, mapping out each step leading to the moment he would be gifted with those dreams—dreams that depicted his sheaf rising while his brothers' sheaves bowed before it.

It is often said that vivid dreams or nightmares can stem from a late-night indulgence—perhaps too many tacos. Yet, we can rest assured that Joseph didn't indulge in tacos the night before he received his dreams; after all, tacos hadn't been invented yet, at least not in the context we understand today. Clearly, we cannot attribute Joseph's dreams to mere indigestion; they were undoubtedly a divine revelation, a gift from God himself.

To frame this in a way that resonates deeply with me, I have concluded that Joseph's dream was not merely a fleeting thought but an echo from eternity. This echo reverberated with the voice of God, bridging the heavenly realm with the earthly, impacting the lives of those present at that moment.

I see a parallel in the profound experience of Jacob, who, during his journey to Harran, stopped for the night and encountered a remarkable vision. In Genesis 28, Jacob dreamt of a majestic ladder that extended from heaven to earth, with angels ascending and descending upon it, a stunning representation of divine communication. At the top of that ladder stood the Lord, proclaiming, "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go and bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

Dare I say that God bestows upon us our dreams, planting the seeds of hope and purpose within our hearts? I reflect on a dream that has occupied my thoughts for nearly nine years—a vision still waiting to be realized. Countless times, I've approached God, expressing my humility and surrender, insisting that He can reclaim His dream if I am unworthy of it. I have often felt inadequate, convinced that I lack the skills and expertise required to bring this vision to life. There were moments when I attempted to relinquish the dream entirely, diverting my focus toward paths that led in the opposite direction. Yet, that persistent echo I received from heaven resonates within me, refusing to fade away.

Today, I pondered whether Joseph experienced a similar struggle while languishing at the bottom of the cistern. I imagined him contemplating, "Lord, You revealed a vastly different future in my dreams, yet here I am, confined a hundred feet underground, surrounded by encroaching darkness. How can any of those promises come to fruition when I can scarcely glimpse the light above?" The Bible offers no explicit account of the duration of his entrapment. Still, we do know that eventually, his brothers drew him out only to sell him into slavery.

Picture Joseph trudging through the bitter reality of his existence, clutching that dream tightly within his heart while suffering the indignities of servitude and exile. He endured profound losses: his freedom was stripped away, his dignity tarnished, and his family, whom he cherished, torn from him, leaving him feeling achingly homesick for a life now shadowed by despair. He even faced further persecution when he was falsely accused of a crime he did not commit—slander and deception swirling around him like a tempest. His once-promising life crumbled: he lost his job and ultimately found himself imprisoned, branded as a convicted criminal. Joseph, now a felon with the stigma of being a registered sex offender, grappled with the harrowing reality of unemployment and incarceration, all the while holding on to that elusive dream. How often must he have cried out, "Lord, take this burden from me! If this life I am enduring is the proof of the dream You entrusted to me when I was only seventeen, then I want nothing to do with it!"

What fascinates me about this revelation is the absence of despair or bitterness in Joseph's narrative. The Scriptures do not portray him as being overwhelmed by these harrowing emotions. Instead, what shines through is his unwavering devotion and patience before God, a man of extraordinary resilience and faith. What a powerful testimony! He dared to cling to the dream bestowed upon him by God, moving forward in obedience despite the tempestuous storms of uncertainty surrounding him. With unwavering trust, he shared the visions of his dreams, even as the echoes from eternity reverberated deeply within him. He understood that, in some way, this dream held immense significance for both his family and his own destiny, even though he had no inkling of how it would unfold. His faith remained steadfast, and he walked boldly, assured that the good work the Lord initiated within him would ultimately come to fruition in God's perfect timing.

The intricate tapestry of God's plans and purposes extends far beyond our limited comprehension, intricately weaving through the vast expanse of time and the boundless realms of existence. As part of this divine narrative, we are invited to embark on an audacious journey of dreaming—imagining and visualizing the echoes of heaven that seek to become a tangible reality on this earth. In this courageous envisioning, we find our true calling, a ripple effect of holy inspiration waiting to unfold in our lives and the world around us.

I dare you to dream. Dream oversized dreams with God and embrace those Joseph moments—it's a journey that will be worth every step.