Goals & Dreaming for 2025
"So he built an altar there, called on the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there. Isaac’s servants also dug a well there."
—Genesis 26:25
Goals & Dreams
Happy New Year!
Better late than never.
Do you have goals and plans for 2025? I don't tend towards goals, but I did take some time to dream about 2025. Due to some of my deeper issues which I've been working on, naming my desires, even knowing my desires, is challenging for me. Making space to articulate my dreams is difficult but helpful. For this year my dreams are quite down to earth. I'm not at a place to dream big these days, but that seems to be okay; it's a season. Dreaming small is taking some faith. Interestingly, I feel some shame writing that my dreams are small this year. I need to delve into that.
How about you? What are you dreaming about this year?
TREASURE HUNTING FOR WELLS
I love the book of Genesis. I'm focusing on it this year. In chapter 26, we find a fascinating account of Isaac and water wells. God confirms his covenant in the midst of a famine. Isaac is living as an alien among the Philistines and water is at a premium. He lies about Rebekah being his sister (just like Abraham did), but God protects him and Rebekah. God blesses the fruit of his labor (literally), and he becomes so wealthy, the natives act like enemies and force him out. Then from verse 17 to 33, we read about his continuous hunt for water through numerous well-digging adventures.
His servants dig a couple of wells, but the locals quarrel over them, so he keeps looking. In verse 22, he finally finds a well with no conflict and rejoices. He recognizes that God "made space" for him and sees it as a sign of future fruitfulness. But being nomadic with massive herds continuously needing new growth, he moves on. God appears to him, blesses him, and another well is dug. Then his enemy comes to make peace with him. They swear an oath, and the story closes with his servants finding another good well.
As we journey through 2025, let's consider this story as a metaphor for ourselves. Life is not static; we may be in a place (literally or figuratively) for a while and then move to another place and another place and another place. God is with us throughout. At times he meets us directly and speaks to us confirming His love for us. At other times he shows his love by providing what we need. At times we experience difficulty and conflict and must keep searching. Some times feel like famine, and other times we experience abundant fruit. In some seasons (harvest) everything falls into place while in other seasons (winter) everything feels gray and dead. Regardless, God invites us to push in and abide and remember. Do you see this?
What do the “wells” represent in your life?
For Isaac water was life. If he didn't have a well, he had no rest. Sometimes he found a well and thought it was the answer but later found out it was for someone else. In those cases, he didn't fight but moved on. At times he had a perfectly good well but due to other circumstances he had to leave it and head out trusting he would find another well. He lived with a good bit of uncertainty. I can understand that. God always provided what he needed.
For us, “wells” could represent jobs/income streams or friends or community or ? Although we don't depend on literal wells anymore, we still are dependent creatures, and God is as active as ever in providing for our needs. One thing I appreciate about this narrative is Isaac's agency. God is involved and present and yet Isaac is responsible for searching and digging and dealing with conflict. He is flawed and yet God is with him.
Now, with Jesus, we know God is with us. Every promise is yes and amen in Jesus. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us to find the "wells" we need.
May 2025 be a fruitful year for you.
I know with over 2000 people receiving this letter, the actual results of the year for different people will be all over the map. Some of us will experience great years, but for some of us this will be a year we want to forget. Regardless, God will be with us in it. May we cling to that.
Even with that knowledge, my prayer is that 2025 will be for you like this verse:
"Isaac sowed seed in that land, and in that year he reaped a hundred times what was sown."—Gen 26:12
NEW IN FOCUSTSOUL
If you are not a member of Focustsoul, I encourage you to join. This year I started something new for members. Three times each week we will be posting short (3-5-minutes) videos to encourage you as you make space to encounter God in community. This week's videos are:
1. Intro, Daily Shower Cleaning
2. The Only Starting Point
3. How do you measure growth?
And next week's will be:
· The Vitality of Seasons
· Playfulness = Non-Anxiety
· Taking a Metaphor Audit
At $5/month which includes a phone app, what do you have to lose. Try it for a month and see what you think.
“We will not appreciate water until the well runs dry.”
—Benjamin Franklin