I Can Dream Can’t I?
The pastor of the church in which I was first employed after college graduation used verse in many of his sermons. A favorite poem of his contained the following lines: “I have dreamed many dreams that never came true, I have seen them vanish at dawn, but I’ve realized enough of my dreams, thank God, to make me want to dream on.” Though I have not seen him in many years, those words spring eternal and resonate in my life.
There is always a difference between achievement and aspiration. This can be discouraging in some ways, but that is how it must be. Acquisition follows predisposition, and we must aspire before we possess. In short, we need goals. There must be a striving for something better and higher for our lives to have meaning for ourselves and others. This is both a practical and biblical truth. Paul said he pressed onward toward a goal he had not achieved.
Occasionally, reality rears its head, and we understand that not all our dreams are achievable or even ultimately desirable. For this reason, we need to be flexible. That is not compromise. Because we hope to be does not mean we will be, and we need to understand this. Balancing the dream-world and the waking is no small task. It is admirable when folks are able to maintain their ideals while living in a world that is less than.
Dreams inspire hope, and that is one reason I believe reaching forward to those things we want to see is so important. Even if our longings are not fully realized, the accomplishments on the quest are greater than if there had been no setting out. Daily, we pass people in whom the light has dimmed, and the dream has died. I hope that never happens to you, but I know that it may. Enjoy the small accomplishments. A dream does not have to be realized to be worthwhile.
Recognizing reality, I want to dream on. Many of my plans never panned. It is probably the same for you. Our lives are not going to be perfect on this earth, but our hearts should be bigger than our hands. Only God knows what we may ultimately accomplish, and we must make all our plans subject to His will. As Christ-followers, nothing less is acceptable. It will be a glad day when we awake and are everything we longed to be. Until then, sweet dreams.
Sterl
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