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Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Imagine That!

“Laurel close those blinds, we are like fish living in a fish bowl with the blinds wide open,” my Mom would always say. So I would pretend I was a fish and swim over to close the blinds. As a little girl I would lie in bed and look out my window staring at the moon dreaming that my future prince charming was looking at the same moon. I would dream about what he was doing, or where he was living. Also I would dream of my wedding day, what I would wear and who would be there. My imagination carried me many places while growing up.

As I grew and I studied the bible more and more my imagination traveled back through the bible studies. What did the wine that was just water moments ago taste like? Did the wedding attendants realize how special that drink was? Or were they oblivious to the miracle that was just performed? What did it look like when Christ was feeding the 5,000? And did they realize that he was serving with a broken heart because he just lost one of his closest friends, John the Baptist? Was the fish and bread the best they have ever tasted?

Imaginations can be used for good or for evil.

Because I am a dreamer I can get carried away, when things don’t happen according to MY dreams or MY plans, I find myself crying out to the Lord. Or in my imaginations I can predict how someone or something is going to react and I can have a complete argument or plan of action ready before one word is spoken. Then I am caught off guard or disappointed when things do not go according to my imagined will. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor 10:5 NIV) Satan is sly, he can try to capture your imaginations and use them against the will of God, but we need to measure everything according to the knowledge of God. Battle of the mind is something women especially struggle with, or at least I do.

But imaginations can be used for good also. They can allow us to empathize with feelings and thoughts of others. Imagination gives us the heart and desire to reach out to help others. “May my meditations be pleasing to him…” (Psm 104:34 NIV) It also helps to enhance and deepen our prayer life. “…you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my laying down; you are familiar with all my ways..” (Psm 139:2b-3 NIV)

Isaiah 66:18 says, “And I, because of their actions and their imaginations, am about to come and gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see my glory.” (NIV)

It is just like God to make one of our greatest weaknesses (our mind) and turn it into a strength. Through our imaginations we will see God’s glory. Satan will try to steer our imaginations away from God, knowing this is an area that will help us draw us closer to God. Eve was led astray by her imagination; she imagined what it would be like to be like God. Therefore, it is important to measure everything up against the knowledge of God. But in return, God will use our imaginations to help us draw closer to him and to display his glory.

Why do you think this song is so powerful? Because our imagination is powerful!


"I can only imagine what it will be like, when I walk by Your side...
I can only imagine, what my eyes will see, when Your Face is before me!
I can only imagine. I can only imagine.


Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?
Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine! I can only imagine!" ~Mercy Me




I would love for you to visit me at Book Buzz here on CWO or my personal blog: Laurel Wreath



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10 Comments:

Blogger Aunt Angie said...

That spoke volumes to my heart...my husband would tell you I am the "queen of the runaway imagination"! I would say...no I'm not. Maybe the queen's maid. Thankfully, He knows my thoughts---and He helps me see that "His ways are higher than mine".
You bless my heart continually Laurel. I am so happy for you in your new "job".

September 4, 2007 at 9:29 PM  
Blogger Darlene Schacht said...

When you said, "we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" I'm reminded of the opposite, when others take the image of Christ and mold it to their own notion. We need to make sure it's in line with the Word.

September 4, 2007 at 9:47 PM  
Blogger lori said...

laurel,
what a true post...my "imaginations" sustain me...
blessings today.

September 4, 2007 at 10:04 PM  
Blogger eph2810 said...

Oh, dear - you are not the only one with imagination. Sometimes I have entire conversations in my head about a matter, only I will never speak the words that are going through my head...
It is true though, God can use everything, even in our heads, to use it for His good...

BTW - I really love that song by Mercy Me :)

Thank you so much for sharing from your heart, Laurel.

Blessings to you and yours.

September 5, 2007 at 12:20 AM  
Blogger Christine said...

I love the image of you swimming to the window. :) I struggle so with my thoughts, it's nice to be reminded that God uses my mind for such good as well and intends it to be glorifying to Him!

September 5, 2007 at 7:54 PM  
Blogger Christine said...

I love the image of you swimming to the window. :) I struggle so with my thoughts, it's nice to be reminded that God uses my mind for such good as well and intends it to be glorifying to Him!

September 5, 2007 at 7:54 PM  
Blogger Linda said...

I always enjoy your writing Laurel, but this one especially hits home. I am so very much like you in the imagination department. I love the way you have "brought it captive".

September 5, 2007 at 8:20 PM  
Blogger Lisa @ The Preacher's Wife said...

I loved this Laurel...My mind is always 10 steps ahead of reality so I often find myself having to regroup mentally and emotionally from things that don't happen like I thought they would. It's so exhausting! :)

Thank you for all the great scripture you included too...You are awesome my friend! :)

Lisa

September 6, 2007 at 9:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Laurel,

....God will use our imaginations to help us draw closer to him and to display his glory....

Just beautiful. I have a vivid and full imagination. It is a blessing from God.

Great Post!!! You are a wonderful writer.

September 6, 2007 at 12:06 PM  
Blogger SuseADoodle said...

[if this is a duplicate, please delete it -- I'm not sure I filled in all the blanks and smacked the buttons correctly ... if it isn't a duplicate, now the whole world will know I'm a techno-dolt. LOL]


"Oy" -- as an online friend said the other day. Our imaginations can get us in trouble. Especially with those "pre-planned" arguements.

God really does use our imaginations to draw us closer to Him. It is a thought that struck me the other day.

I've been a storyteller ever since I can remember. Had the unfortunate habit, though, of telling my far-fetched stories as if they were true and I had been an eye-witness. I was horrified when I realized this meant I was lying to my friends everytime I told a story out of my imagaination. I begged God to make sure I never ever told another story.

Instead, He has been giving me story after story for years now. Some of them have started in very wrong places for the characters but ended up revealing spiritual truths that impacted me deeply. Just this week I was able to say of those things, "He can even redeem that. WOW!"

Imagination is the thing that is necessary to empathize with others, in a way foresee the possible consequences of a decision, or it can be used to plan terrible things.

Thanks for stopping by my Thankful Thursday. It brought me here and I enjoyed reading this post very much. (First time I've gotten a link to CWO to work -- all the links for other blogs just never seem to work ... "blogmarked" this one and now I should be able to get here again.)

September 7, 2007 at 11:27 AM  

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