Dare to Dream

 Numbers 27:1-11:

¹THEN CAME the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
²They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders, and all the congregation at the door of the Tent of Meeting, saying,
³Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among those who assembled together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin [as did all those who rebelled at Kadesh], and he had no sons.
⁴Why should the name of our father be removed from his family because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father's brethren.
⁵Moses brought their case before the Lord.
⁶And the Lord said to Moses,
⁷The daughters of Zelophehad are justified and speak correctly. You shall surely give them an inheritance among their father's brethren, and you shall cause their father's inheritance to pass to them.
⁸And say to the Israelites, If a man dies and has no son, you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.
⁹If he has no daughter, you shall give his inheritance to his brethren.
¹⁰If he has no brethren, give his inheritance to his father's brethren.
¹¹And if his father has no brethren, then give his inheritance to his next of kin, and he shall possess it. It shall be to the Israelites a statute and ordinance, as the Lord commanded Moses

I've read this story many times but this time God grabbed hold of my heart and over the course of several days has revealed several things to me which I want to share lest I forget :)

1.  These daughters found their voice.  They lived in a time in which they had no rights. Yet they had the COURAGE to use their circumstances to uncover the voice God had given them.  God has given each of us a voice.  Our voices can change the world, can change our circumstances or lend themselves to someone else and their struggles.  These daughters lived in a time when only sons were "valued" and inheritances only passed from father to sons yet they asked.  These women could have cast out of the community or killed.  They had lived through that time when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness.  They had seen people die by plagues or disappear into the ground because they displeased the Lord.  These daughters, who are not even given a name, knew that there could be a cost to finding their voice yet they sought their voice anyway.

2.  They asked.  They did not demand or whine or try to manipulate their circmstances.  They were respectful in their request.  The manner in which they approached Moses more than likely had everything to do with his willingness to listen and consider their requests.  I spend a lot of my time with women who are broken and hurting and I have observed their attempts to get what they want.  I have seen women whine, demand, manipulate, attack and threaten.  I have seen them cry, beg and lie.  It is heart breaking to watch........because all they have to do is ask.  So many times as my heart breaks for their pain and their circumstances and their brokenness I can't help but wonder how my Father in heaven's heart must be breaking too.

3.  They did not ask because they desired material possessions or a better position but because the desire of their heart was for their father's life to not pass in vain.  They wanted to preserve their father's legacy.  Their cause had merit.  They had pure motives.  Remember that man only sees what goes on on the outside but God sees the heart.  How many times have I asked for something not because I really wanted "it" but because I wanted a thing or power or position?  I see this in the world all the time and unfortunately it has made its way into our churches.  People serving not because their heart is to serve but because they want popularity, power or posessions.  Daughters this is not the example to a broken and hurting world that God has called us to be. 

4.  They revealed a deep desire of their own heart in asking.  There was risk involved.  Moses was not required to even consider their request - they were women with no standing.  Perhaps it was the very fact that they took a risk and revealed the desires of their heart that stirred something in Moses to hear what they had to say. 
 
God sees the desires of our hearts whether they are spoken or unspoken.  It is his heart to grant those desires just as it is the heart of any parent to give their child good things.  So many of us have walls all around our hearts to keep out the hurts inflicted by a hurting world.  Hurt people hurt people.  What we forget is that these same walls keep God out too.  We as women have spent far too much time tearing eachother down with gossip and judgment and just plain ol' mean than we have building eachother up and helping eachother step into our identity as Daughters of the Most High King.

5.  These daughters walked in their positions as daughters.  They knew the love of a father.  They knew that a father's heart was to give his children good things - in death as in life.  They did not use their opportunity to try to advance their position.  They did not need to.  They knew who they were and were content to be Mr. Z's daughters.  They did not ask for power or the ability to be counted and heard as men but only to receive what was already theirs.  I am the Daughter of the Most High God.  What other position do I need?  What material possession gets any better than that?  I need to learn to just be a DAUGHTER.

6.  They respected the authority over them and did not try to circumvent it.  They sought out Moses and asked.  Moses in turn sought the direction from the Lord who granted their request because it was right to do so.  Because they knew they were DAUGHTERS they didn't need to go behind someone's back or circumvent the authority over them.  It had nothing to do with position & yet everything to do with position.  THEY DIDN'T NEED POSITION BECAUSE THEY ALREAD HAD IT.

Galatians 1:10 - Now am I trying to win the favor of men or of God?  Do I seek to please men?  If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ.

These daughters were not seeking the favor of anyone but their father.  This was scandalous behavior for these times.  They risked it all.  And they asked.
 
What is holding you back from asking God for what is yours?  for what he has for you?  Right now would you just ask God to unleash the dream that he placed inside of you?  Will you ask him to multiply your ministry, your boundaries your influence, to reach an entire city?

Acts 20:24

Amplified Bible (AMP)

²⁴But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God's grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy).
What has God called you to be? to do?  You are his daughter.  He calls you "child".  Will you be what God has called you to be?  Will you stop tripping up your sisters and letting them trip you up?  What is stopping you? 

What is stopping you from dreaming big dreams?  Is it the cost?  Their is no cost higher than what has been paid by Jesus.  Are you willing to stand to your feet and say "I want a dream".  Are you willing to use your voice to pursue the dream God has for you? 

Are you ready to change your world?  To make a difference?  To leave a legacy for your children to claim?

Mr. Z's daughters had a dream and they pursued it.  They lent their voices to their dream and God offered them the desires of their hearts.  Why not you?

Blessings!