When Dreams Die

I stood beside a grieving heart.  The sorrow was overwhelming and the grief of “if only” was palpable.  My words felt inadequate as I tried to console and comfort.  When we watch the dreams of our heart die there is grief and pain.

The Dream of God’s Heart

God has been there. He understands.  It was in the beginning.  Before the world began.  When time was not measured by the tick of a clock, but by the eternal heartbeat of God.  God stood on the edge of the darkness and dreamed of an earth filled with beauty and at the pinnacle of his creation would be mankind.

And so it was.  Light spread over the darkness with just a word. Mountains and valleys took shape.  Rivers wended their way through the land. Flowering shrubs and towering trees dotted the burgeoning landscape. All of this and so much more the Almighty God created with just a word.  From the far reaches of space to the depths of the mighty ocean God put into reality the dream of his heart.  Bright colored birds filled the brilliant sky and mammals lumbered across the lush green grass.  And it was good.

Then God carefully crafted the climax of his creation.  Mankind was created in the very image of God. Adam and Eve were filled with the breath of God.  God’s dream had been brought to completion.  This man and woman were the heartbeat of God.  Those times in the cool of the evening were beyond wonderful.  A relationship born out of the heart of God ensued.

God’s Sorrowing Heart

What grief smote God’s heart as his loved creation turned away from him! He watched as his dream of an eternity with mankind died with one act of disobedience. Yet, God could not let them go.  His love for the human race was and is more than we can grasp.  However, justice was meted out. But then love went further still.

God had a plan to redeem his world.  He set in motion a plan to bring back mankind to his heart through the breaking of his own heart.  Down through the ages God’s plan unfolded.  Moreover, He chose a people to be his emissary of love to the world.  Again and again they grieved God’s heart by turning away from all the good that he would do for them.  They turned instead to their own way. 

When the fullness of time was come, God sent his own Son into this broken and sorrowing world.(Galatians 4:4) This act of the unconditional love of God forever changed the trajectory of every heart that would surrender to his touch.  Within this act of love was grief and sorrow to be borne.  His very own Son was rejected by the one’s he came to save.  Jesus, himself wept with deep sorrow over Jerusalem. (Luke 19:42)

On the cross, every sin of mankind was heaped upon the sinless Son of God.  In other words, Jesus became sin for us.  He bore sorrow and grief in order to carry us back to the heart of God.  It was to restore the dream of God’s heart that had begun in a heartbeat of eternity before the world began.

Dreams, Death and Victory

As God turned away from his sin-cursed Son, Jesus’ heart broke.  The fellowship with his Father had been severed.  He was cut off from that relationship, just as thoroughly as mankind had been disconnected from their Creator.  Jesus broke his heart, so that your heart could be mended. 

Because Jesus, who knew no sin, was willing to become sin, sin’s power over us was broken.  The chains of death crumbled in the face of this sacrificial love.   Death could not hold our Savior.  The stone was rolled away from the place of brokenness and death.  Jesus went to the depths of hell to bring us back to God.  He is alive and even now praying for you. Moreover, his heart yearns over you in your grief of broken dreams and sorrows of this life.

When Your Dreams Crumble

Dear friend, if you are facing a place of grief and sorrow in your life turn to Jesus. He is still mending hearts and drying tears. Jesus walked a path of sorrow for you.  Moreover, when you watch the dreams of your heart crumble, God knows your pain.  He alone can redeem and restore the brokenness that you wrestle with. 

Last week as I comforted the grieving heart, I was reminded of the lyrics of a song. 

“When I cry, You cry
When I hurt, You hurt
When I’ve lost someone
It takes a piece of You, too
And when I fall on my face
You fill me with grace
‘Cause nothin’ breaks Your heart
Or tears You apart
Like when I cry”

Gaither Vocal Band

In your grief and sorrow, be reminded that God is hurting with you. Certainly, when you cry, He is near. Listen to the song, “When I Cry” and find comfort in the knowledge of how much God loves you.  God has chosen you.  You are the treasure of His heart.  His plan, however hard the way, is to bring you back into that intimate relationship with Himself.

• Cling to God through the hard. 
• Find comfort from the God of all Comfort. 
• Remember God’s unfailing love for you.
• Trust the heart of God. 
• Know you are cherished.  

Heaven…with God…for eternity…is the goal.