“Where there is no vision, the people will perish!” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). Pastors sometimes say, “Where there is no vision, the people find another parish.” Vision matters. Where shall we look to find the right vision for our lives and our churches?
God used two separate visions to orchestrate a meeting between Peter and Cornelius. Without the first vision, Cornelius would never have sent his men to Peter. Without the second vision of the sheet, Peter might never have let the men in. God’s timing is impeccable, as always.
God is using visions and dreams to call people from other religions into Christianity. We hear from the Muslim world stories about people who saw a vision of Jesus in their dreams. Christ is crossing the bridges created by those visions to lead Muslims to follow him as their Savior and Lord.
What is our vision of others in our world? God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to eternal life. So long as we see others as foreigners and outsiders, we may miss God’s greater purpose to save all people. Do we believe that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that whoever believes in him should not perish? If we share this good news, God’s vision of salvation will keep others from perishing. Let’s hold fast to God’s vision so that we may share Christ with all the guests inside our gates.
