Loaded down with packages, Greta stepped in the elevator at the 47th floor. It was Christmas Eve, and she had been working late. Greta struggled to press the button that would take her down to the bustle of New York City below. She leaned back against the wall, thinking about the gifts and the family they represented. The thought of Greta's sisters pressing her as they did every Christmas produced a sigh. “Have you met anybody interesting this year?” she could hear them say.
The reality of Greta's loneliness dimmed as she dreamed of one day meeting the right man—someone with whom she could share her life, her family, and especially, Christmas.
“Ding,” the elevator stopped on the 39th floor and a gentleman stepped in. After barely acknowledging each other’s presence, the door closed and the elevator began its rapid descent to the street below.
Suddenly, it came to an abrupt stop on the 26th floor as if it smacked against the pitch darkness that now filled the enclosure. What a predicament—trapped in dark silence with a man she did not know. Chad introduced himself and made Greta feel at ease. Within a short time, they decided to make the best of it while waiting for their rescuers.
Though their cell phones didn’t work, they pooled their cache—a candle, some matches, freshly-baked bread, jelly, fruit, cookies, and a drink. Among their resources was a sense of humor, emotional support, and a song—Chad’s favorite Christmas carol, “The First Noel,” which they sang.
Hours passed before the elevator service personnel arrived. When they emerged, Greta’s anxious parents were there to meet her. Though eager to go home, Greta was reluctant to say goodbye to her elevator companion. Chad had been so nice, and had provided a sense of security and comfort during the traumatic ordeal. She wondered, Will I ever see him again?
The next morning, as was her tradition, she and her family attended the Christmas service at her church. When the organist began to play “The First Noel,” tears began to well up in Greta’s eyes. Just hours before, she and Chad had sung that song. Fighting back the tears, Greta thought she recognized someone sitting nearby. It was Chad. He came. During their long wait in the elevator, Greta had, just by chance, mentioned the church where she and her family attended Christmas mornings.
An invitation was extended, and Chad canceled his other plans to join Greta and her family for a very special Christmas dinner—one Greta did not attend solo—her first, but certainly not her last.
One year later, on Christmas Eve, Chad and Greta were married. A year after that their first child was born on Christmas Day. Her name? You guessed it—Noel.
“Just an accident,” someone might say. But Greta is totally convinced that God brought her and Chad together—that the dream God put in his heart and hers, started to become a reality that Christmas Eve.1
Do you think that something or someone is guiding in the events of your life? This earth is not just a random hit-and-miss operation: Someone is watching over you. He knows your dreams. He knows your name, the elevator you’re riding, and the house you live in. He knows your discouragements, your health problems, your economic necessities, your cravings for friendship—your family’s joys and sorrows.
Do you have a dream about who you long to be, about love, about marriage, about children and family? Where do your dreams come from?
Let’s go back to the beginning when God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) had a creative summit meeting.
He must have looked out from His majestic throne room into the vastness of space at the trillions of twinkling stars, galaxies, whirling planets, and perhaps even other civilizations unknown to us and dreamed: “Let’s think outside the box and create a new world of happiness with all the beauty of our imagination.”
With His divine, infinite intellect, He pictured each moment of a seven-day earth creation—to make a dream home for the first newlyweds. Can’t you just hear the spontaneous responses? “Awesome! Terrific! Delightful!”
First came light, then the atmosphere, followed by a variety of plants and trees. The third day was filled with amazing lighting effects produced by the sun and the moon, followed by the birds of the air and fish of the sea. By day six, the new planet was ready for the animals and the crowning act for which this dream home had been prepared—a man and woman—a self-portrait displayed in two distinct and complimentary beings that together embodied the nature and image of the triune God.
Their creation was distinct and personal as God stooped to mold their forms and breathe life into them. They were taken from the very earth over which they were to have dominion. God engaged them in conversation, giving them the gift of language so they might explore the depths of relationship, wisdom and knowledge. Inherent was their ability to create—not just to procreate, to be like Him—to come up with original ideas that had not previously existed. Elephant, wolf, macaw, whale. God honored them with mission and purpose, giving them the privilege of caring for His creation.
And what a match! Perfect complimentary beings with different dimensions of abilities, skills, and interests. Enhancing each other’s spiritual, mental, social, physical, and emotional growth, they were able to nurture one another with mutual love, respect, and understanding. They discovered their forms fit together as one—God’s fabulously intricate design—life by design.
So that’s where your dreams come from. When God created you, He instilled in you not only purpose, but hopes, aspirations, curiosity, creativity, desire—each of us similar, but unique—able to make significant contributions to the whole.
But rather than setting us aside to live on our own, God, being true to His nature, offered Himself to complete the triune relationship—Adam, Eve, God. And He did so by instituting a day to commemorate His special availability—the Sabbath—a 24-four-hour weekly honeymoon to build relationships.
That is it! We’re not alone. We are a special creation. We have purpose, mission, destiny. And together we’re a perfect match—a portrait of the image of God.
Gary Burns is the communication director for the Lake Union Conference. This article was adapted from Heart Turning—Family Evangelism, developed by John and Millie Youngberg (myoungberg@comcast.net). Used with permission.
1. Adapted from Wales, Susan Wales, and Ann Platz. A Match Made in Heaven, Volume Two. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah Publishers, 1999.
