The Force of a Vision

I’ve been pounding through a multitude of thoughts as I think forward into my age. Yes. I’m in my later ’60s and thinking about life in the ’70s. When will I get to the end? Will it be all I hoped and prayed it will be, or will my actions disprove my vision? All I know is that there will be little time to bring my personal force to a vision to change my outcome. Only a heavenly intervention can rectify my direction.

In a paradigm shift as our modern world started changing, businesses that could not adapt were often left hanging in the breeze of the whoosh of others who charged into the future. One student of the times had an insight about change:

Vision without action is merely a dream
Activity without vision just passes the time.
Vision with action can change the world.”
~Joel A Barker

Vision, coupled with proper action can make changes that impact everyone! Steve Jobs, anyone? Elon Musk? Warren Buffett? We always think about the big names, but there are so many more than the recognizable leaders. There’s Mother Teresa, and you. Me. Us. Them. All of us!

It’s easy to blame the times (pandemic, inflation, politics), or we can look in our small corner of life and say, “Huh?” Whether affected by struggles or not, we can start grassroots movements where we can push ourselves into a new frame of existence.

What is your Vision?

I’ve written about it often but sitting at that late-night dinner table with my brand new Bible, God showed me something that has been a force in my life. [Read Here] This began a path that I’m happy to say has been a force in my personal world. Some want to change the world, I just want to change my world.

That being said, it’s easy to lose focus and derail your efforts with life events. These past three years have been a “Step back and let’s see what’s left after the storm, Dorothy!” Through these nearly 36 months of strangeness, I’ve watched the world become something totally different than what I thought my retiring years would look like.

My Godly heritage has sustained me. My Spiritual Vision and Natural Force have kept me on what I believe is my track of life.

When Paul was reaching the ending of his life, and about to go to Rome for his appeal before Caesar, he stated before King Agrippa: “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” (Acts 26:19) Of course, he was talking about his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. For the remainder of his life, his focus was on meeting the plan God had for him. Think about it! After his healing and fulfilling salvation, the first time we read of a different reaction to Jesus was a few days later.

Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
Acts 9:20 NKJV

One event changed his paradigm. From imprisoning and killing, he is now telling others about Jesus. For the remainder of his life, he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision!

The book of Philippians is Paul’s letter to a church family and could be one of his last writings from Rome. Read that book with that thought in mind…

Think About It

Do you have a vision? Are you letting your actions and activity be the force of your vision? When you reach your end can you be like Paul in his last letter of instruction to his protege, Timothy?

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering [Philippians 2:17],
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day,
and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:6-8 NKJV

I am already being poured out… His life is pouring out as his ending is near. Not in a final flow of all, but that steady draining of his will and plans to that final and great reward. The Crown of Righteousness. It’s almost as if he could see over the horizon and through the haze of a life well spent for the Gospel of Christ.