This is a picture I took of Florence, Italy from a nearby hillside. I want to draw your attention to the large dome near the center of town. The construction for this cathedral began in 1296. It was designed to be one of the largest and most ornate churches in Europe. Yet in 1418, 122 years after construction began, there was a monumental problem.
The church still did not have a roof!
The roof that the builders envisioned was a dome that would be 150 feet across. It would be the largest dome in all of Europe! In order to accomplish this, the builders would have to construct the dome 180 feet up in the air.
They had big dreams, but also a big problem.
No one knew how to build a dome this big! The technology did not yet exist to create the structure that they envisioned.
So the church lived on without a roof, year after year, season after season, enduring the winter rains and scorching sun.
Eventually Filippo Brunelleschi submitted a proposal to create the dome of their dreams. He planned to create two domes—a dome within a dome—with one to support the other. This had never been done before. It was brand new technology.
And it worked.
The dome was completed in 1436, 140 years after construction began! At the time it was the largest domed structure in the world (it is now the fourth largest).
I’ve noticed that sometimes God will place a dream on your heart, but without the roadmap needed to fulfill the dream.
Have you ever experienced this before?
Perhaps you have felt God asking you to take a step of faith in your professional life or within your family system…but you weren’t sure where to start.
The technology is not yet invented.
In times like this, consider three things:
- Trust:
This is an opportunity to trust God. You may not know how to accomplish your dream, but can you identify the next step? Take one step, and then another. Entering a journey with God in which you do not know the final destination will build incredible trust in God. - Patience:
Dreams are not completed overnight. The cathedral in Florence took 140 years to complete! Try not to give up too early. It can be frustrating to not see immediate results as you begin this journey of faith. Keep at it. Persist. Endure. - Adaptive Thinking:
If the “technology” does not yet exist, you need to create it. How can you leave behind old models and unhelpful ways of thinking to embrace something new that God may be doing in your life? Think outside the box. Journey off the map. God may be calling you on a grand adventure.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”
-Proverbs 19:21
Let us pursue God’s purposes for the world. May we learn to listen to the plans God places on our hearts, not simply our own.
Our God is active and working in this world. Let’s join in this work.
On Sunday, Pastor Dana will be preaching her first sermon at Unity! I can’t wait!
See you on Sunday!
-Pastor David
