“Vision without action is merely a dream;
Action without vision just passes the time.
Vision with action can change the world.” ~ Joel Barker
Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained… Proverbs 29:18a
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. I Samuel 3:1
A story that well summarizes the power of vision is the story of three bricklayers. The story goes that three bricklayers were working side by side. When asked, “What are you doing?” the first bricklayer replied: “I’m laying bricks.” The second bricklayer was asked and he answered, ”I’m feeding my family.” The third bricklayer when asked the question, ”What are you doing?” responded, ”We’re building a cathedral.” The question is, are you trying to reach your goals in your life with bricklayers or cathedral builders? It should go without saying that all of us want to be associated with the third man. The third bricklayer was accomplishing the task with the outcome in mind, rather than just the task at hand. The task was imbued with purpose and vision.
All three bricklayers had the same skill-set: they were all master masons. All three bricklayers had the same tool-set: the trowel, the mortar, and the bricks. But they all approached their mission with three dramatically different mind-sets.
Which bricklayer are you? When you get up in the morning do you prepare to lay brick in your life and suffer? Or do you feel victimized by the way you earn your living? Or, like the third bricklayer, do you see yourself building a cathedral out of your life? The choice is yours. It is a matter of how you approach it based on how you see things. It is important to remember that as saints of the Most High God we are all building a cathedral for His glory. It is also important to remember that to build the cathedral it requires laying one brick at a time. So what is your vision? What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in your prayer closet about ‘the plans God has for you’ (Jeremiah 29:11)? Do you only have a personal vision for you and your family? Have you committed yourself to the corporate vision of “THE WORD” Church as outlined by Dr. R.A. Vernon (or the church you attend)? Do you have a vision for your community or the world?
“Someone has defined vision as ‘getting on your heart what God has on His.’ It is a formula — proper information plus spiritual illumination equals vision. Vision brings motivation in the life of a devoted Christian and motivation brings spiritual productive action. Only divine illumination of your heart, a submissive spirit, and a yielded body will cause you to see things from God’s point of view. I believe Jesus fully expects every saved person to have a vision and a strategy clearly molded by Him, that we might impact the world to the ends of the earth and until the end of time!” — Dr. Edward Watke Jr., Bible scholar
In Proverbs 29:18, “vision” refers to special revelation and the principle is that apart from God’s Word, society quickly spins into moral chaos. For the Believer, vision is more than one’s need to formulate goals and work toward them, and it implies more than eyesight or the ability to understand. Vision instead is a synonym for what a prophet does, like the prophet Samuel. Therefore its real meaning is found in receiving God’s instruction, guidance, wisdom, revelation, and authority. What kind of decisions will you make today and tomorrow that will impact the vision God has given you? There is something worse than ignorance–it is to think that you know. We need God to communicate with us, to give us direction and to help us understand what our vision should be. May we receive this vision and not perish.
Prayer: All Knowing Father, Ruler of Heaven and earth, we seek Your face today that You would adjust ouir mindsets and impregnate us with purpose and vision. We know the plans You have for us are for good and not for disaster; to give us a future and a hope. Give us the spiritual illumination, wisdom and courage we need to build a cathedral for Your glory, one brick at a time. This is our prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |