“GOD’SDREAM”

ISAIAH 58: 6-12

It happened two hundred andthirty four years ago today … just a mere few years in the history of our world…  Our nation’s birthdaycelebrations come amid picnics, fireworks, parades, in the beauty of spaciousskies … near purple mountain majesties … over the fruited plains … embedded inpatriot dreams … causing us all to think and wonder about the dream of ourfounding and forefathers, many of whom were men of great faith and devotion,their words and lives having a profound impact:  Listen in to these words:

John Adamsis quoted as saying:

“Thisday (fourth of July) ought to be celebrated by solemn acts

ofdevotion to God Almighty”…

Thomas Jefferson irregardless of whether he used the smudged word subjects or the re-written word citizens… in his erudition and enlightenment said:

“thereason that Christianity is the best friend of government

isbecause Christianity is the only religion in the world

thatdeals with the heart.” …

Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying:

“Hewho shall introduce into public affairs the

principlesof Christianity will change the face of

theearth” …

And while not a FoundingFather of the Constitution but nonetheless has had a profound impact on theUnited States of America … AbrahamLincoln stated:

“Whenasked if he thought God was on our side …

hereplied ….

‘Sir,my concern is not whether God is on our side.

Mygreat concern is to be on God’s side.’

Forged through dreams for thefuture these and other people of faith have made their impact on us all withdreams in their heart. As history tells it …  it was primarily Thomas Jefferson who wrote the Declarationof Independence and its preamble …. a version of which drew me up short notlong ago …

Being grown-up second gradersthey were learning the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence … showingtheir new knowledge they began together:

“we hold these truths to be self-evident…

all men are created equal with certain …

andthen it came …

‘alien rights’

of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness….

“ALIEN ???”

I’ve learned over the yearsto listen and ponder “slights of language” and this one gave me great pause …wonderwith me … perhaps … just perhaps … that is where our dreams and God’s dreamshave come apart …

I.             Our fragile island home …

“ From a distance the world and our nation looks blueand green and the snow capped mountains white … the ocean meets streams and theeagle takes flight …”

Yet from our shores justtoday  … oil gushes at astronomicalrates … the beauty of the ocean floor and our shores … the delicate balance forwildlife tragically disrupted …  and if you have ever seen the movie / documentary “Oceans” …one is stunned by the beauty and mysterious life that unfolds below … onewonders:

“Is this God’s dream for God’s createdworld?”

The earth is our inheritance… a resource for life  … anecologically sustainable, livable environment fashioned for us … what if wewere to treat our fragile island earth home with such reverence to honor andtreat it as treasure to tend and to expend with care, being led by need and notby greed in distributing its gifts?

II:  Brothers and Sisters inour nation and the world over …

“From a distance in our world there are no hungrymouths to feed … you look like my friend …we all have enough and no one is inneed” …

Do you ever wonder what Godsees in our world today?   Sooften:

Instead of gratitude there is resentment

Instead of praise there is criticism

Instead of forgiveness there is revenge

Instead of healing there is wounding

Instead of compassion there iscompetition

Instead of cooperation there is violence

Instead of love there is fear …

Isaiah through God’sinspiration makes it clear this day whom we are to serve and answer God with‘Here I am’ …. Today Reverend Fannie Reeves  a friend and pastor whom I met in the Mayor’s FaithInitiative Council is among us. Some of her church people have been served by our “Grocery Bag Ministry”…  oh there is such a need to feedthe hungry in the city, the nation and the world over … there is a need tovisit the imprisoned … there is such need to clothe and visit and pray for andlive with each other … God’s power and love reconciles, liberates and heals ….whatif we so deeply tethered our spirits to God’s Spirit that we were inspired … tolive … act … and reach out as reconciled … liberated … and healed human beings toall of God’s children …???  Thepossibilities are limitless.

III.   PEACE

“From a distance there are  no guns, no bombs …… you look like my friend even though we are at war … we areinstruments /channels of peace … a world where what we might  do … what we might say … could be  a touch of the living God” 

The newspaper rings news dayby day of young men and women giving their lives for the sake of freedom … suchdedication is so admirable and heart wrenching … some of us have been grievingwith a parishioner’s loss of a grandson … and the tremendous loss of thisbright, loving, dedicated  youngman is almost more than the heart can withstand …

“Beneath the sacred throne of God

I saw a river rise

The streams of peace and pard’ning

Descended from the skies of love ….”

Two friends were walkingthrough the desert … During some point of the journey they had an argument andone friend slapped the other one in the face.  The one who got slapped was hurt, but without sayinganything wrote in the sand:  “Today my best friend slapped me in theface.”  They kept walking untilthey found an oasis where they decided to take a bath.  The one who had been slapped got stuckin the mire and started drowning but the friend saved him.  After he recovered from the neardrowning he wrote on a stone:  “Today my friend saved my life.”  The friend who had slapped andsaved his best friend asked him:  “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand andnow you write on a stone, why?” … The friend replied:  “When someone hurts us we should write itdown in sand, where winds of forgiveness can erase it away.  But, when someone does something goodfor us, we must engrave it in stone, where no wind can ever erase it.  Write your hurts in the sand and carveyour benefits in stone.

IV.  God’s Dream

God dreams that we deepen our bonds of friendship andlove …

- that we turn our hearts outward towards those wemeet along life’s way and toward the others we will never meet …

- that we turn our hearts outward to know ourselves askinsfolk, all alike, dependent on God’s creation and children of God’s love …

- God ‘s dream invites us to  lay down our weapons  and offer each other forgiveness andmake peace.

- God dreams that we might be channels of divine powerthat heals the wounds of humanity and renews the face of the earth.

 - Goddreams of us using the power of love that frees us from fear … a power of lovethat puts our light on the lamp-stands … that we might be gentle as dovescalling all to radical service doing the work of the kingdom workingunceasingly in communion with God!

 - God”s dream is that the love of God will change our hearts… love will change our minds and love will change our lives … our country, ourworld

When will it be that the longing of God’s heart is soin tune with the longing of our hearts that God’s dream begins to fully takeshape in our world … ????!!!!

Maywe dream the dream of God and ask “Why not?”

Whynot a world where children do not go to bed hungry?

Whynot a world where justice rolls down?

Whynot a world where we lay down our swords and study war no more?

The reality of God’s dream is a choice we can make!