Entrusting our dreams to God one day at a time
Written by Riley Tridhardt
In the book of Ruth, when Naomi was left a widow and without sons in Moab, she resolved to return to her hometown in Judah. She insisted that her daughters-in-law should return to their Moabite families where things would be easier for them. Orpah agreed, but Ruth could not bear to leave her middle-aged mother-in-law to fend for herself.
So, she bound herself to Naomi, putting her trust in the God of Israel, believing that even though the path was unclear, He would set things right. This choice led Ruth to be the great-grandmother to David and a matriarch in the line through which God would be revealed in the flesh.
When David was anointed to be king, he was still just a young boy. Although he was given a vision of what the future held for him, he continued to have the responsibilities of a shepherd and to be an errand boy for his older brothers. He had to wait patiently for his time to be made king even while the current ruler, Saul, tried to kill him.
These characters exemplify what it means to trust the Lord when you have a dream for what life, the church, or society could be, but there’s a big gap between your vision and the current reality. Ruth and David embody the words of Psalm 37:3-4: “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
In the face of obstacles, my tendency is to abandon the whole thing entirely. Maybe you can relate? Or perhaps you’re more like my adrenaline junkie friends who like facing challenges head-on.
Either way, I believe the idea of stewardship is a helpful way to think about the dreams stored inside us. If we’re good stewards of those dreams, then we—like Ruth and David—can entrust them to God.
What these biblical characters have in common is that whether it’s a vision that seems too grand or complete uncertainty as to where the road ahead leads, they were faithful with what was directly before them.
David tended to sheep long before he tended to a nation and it was Ruth’s selfless act of faithfulness to Naomi that led her to be a mother in the line of King Jesus.
Psalm 37 suggests that trusting in the Lord and befriending faithfulness are precursors to having the right dreams in the first place. If we are faithful stewards of what He has placed directly in front of us (including that which might seem menial or even below us), then we will discover more deeply the heart of God.
Over 20 years ago, Henri Nouwen wrote, “The Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self.” In an age where it is a career to curate one’s image and build one’s platform of influence, what do our dreams reflect more, our personal brand or the heart of God?
I encourage you to write down the dreams stored in you. Return to them and submit them to the Lord. What is before you right now? May you walk that out in faithfulness. And may you find your delight in the Lord so the way head is blazing with the desires He places in you.
