Dreams
Scripture Reading — Colossians 3:12-17
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom ... Col. 3:16
According to one survey, most people dream the same dreams. All people dream of wealth, power, fame, sex, and exciting recreational opportunities.
I recall the story of a visitor to a poor, inner-city church. The service lasted nearly three hours. After the service, the visitor told the pastor that he had found the service powerful but too long. The pastor replied, "All week long my people are being told, in a thousand subtle and not so subtle ways, that they are inferior, not wanted, a drag on good folk. I need at least three hours to reshape their world and show them that they are ?God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved.'"
I wonder how long our worship services would have to be to convince us that the good life does not consist of wealth, power, fame, sex, and exciting recreation. All week long we hear that it does. We're easily taken in; we crave for more, always more. Perhaps our worship services are not nearly long enough. After all, it is in worship that we see ourselves as we truly are.
Since we are under constant pressure to dream the world's dream, we must let the word of Christ dwell in us richly so that it becomes the lens through which we engage the world. Through the word of Christ we can see ourselves as belonging, body and soul, in life and in death, to our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus, may we be mindful of your presence so that whatever we do, we do it in your name with thanksgiving, wisdom, and peace bound together with love. Amen.
About the author — Jack Roeda
Rev. Jack Roeda is the senior pastor at Church of the Servant Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and an adjunct professor of preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary. He is married to Carol Sue Kok, and they have three children and two grandchildren. Pastor Roeda has served two previous churches: Exeter (Ont.) Christian Reformed Church and Calvary Christian Reformed Church, Holland, Michigan.
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