01 18 08 Still Dreamin’…..

“Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy, complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose. Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.”
(Philippians 2:1-3 NET)

“I have a dream”…..the words still echo throughout the hilltops, cities, and churches today. They are not meant for a political message or as a slick slogan to push a program. They were from a sincere man of God’s heart for oneness; the kind of oneness Paul wrote about to the believers in Philippi. If we, the body of believers, the present-day disciples of Jesus Christ can’t be one, then who can be one? And if we can’t be one, are we really His to begin with?

“I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony, that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me. The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one –I in them and you in me – that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.”
(John 17:20-23 NET)

Jesus anticipated our struggles to remain one, as He prayed to the Father just before delivering Himself up for the sacrifice upon the cross. He knew that even in the Church, there would be the temptation of selfishness, greed, isolation, and unfortunately; discrimination and prejudice. Sad as it may seem, all believers are human and still have a sin nature. Our selfish desires need to held in check. That is only done by allowing God’s Holy Spirit to be in control; both in the Church as a body and in every individual believer. Dr. King’s “dream” was not just for political purposes or a specific group of people. It was for all people and all of society. I have to believe that as an ordained minister, Dr. King had to have in mind the oneness Jesus prayed for in John 17.

In many ways we are STILL DREAMIN” today. My wife and I still occasionally get stares when we walk along the malls or enter buildings, especially when we are with our children or grandchildren. I can almost hear the whispers in people’s minds, “Whose baby is that…his or hers?” At times the looks are innocent, but I can also tell when the look offers anger and irritation. I too dream of the day when Americans will be Americans (not white Americans, African Americans, or other hyphenated Americans). I pray for a future where our children will be known as Americans who call Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior! Born in America? We are Americans! Born-again into the Body of Christ? We are Christians! Isn’t that simple? It’s just not as hard to be one when we stop trying to be so divided!

STILL DREAMIN’………………..