Today is a federal holiday in our country, honoring Martin Luther King, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955, until he was assassinated in 1968. He believed in nonviolent activism, and he participated in and led marches for the right to vote, desegregation, and labor rights. He is most famous for the speech he made during the “March on Washington” in 1963, where he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial. His dream was of equality and peace. I read his speech this morning, and it is so powerful. But, it got me thinking about Paul, the apostle’s dreams.
In Ephesians 1:17, Paul prayed “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.” He dreamed that God’s people be wise and knowledgeable. He wrote to the church in Rome, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13). He dreamed that hope will help us endure whatever comes. He prayed for peace in II Thessalonians 3:16, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” His dream was for the church at Colossae would “so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him…” (Colossians 1:10a). He prayed that they would grow in love for each other, as well as for Christ, when he wrote may “your love may abound more and more…” (Philippians 1:9a).
Martin Luther King dreamed of a day where this nation would rise up and live out the true meaning of it’s creed “that all men are created equal.” Paul’s dream was that God’s people may be filled with wisdom, knowledge of God, hope, peace, that we would be pleasing in God’s sight, as our love grows. I, also, have a dream – “May you live your life in such a way that heaven will one day be your home. Amen.” Simply blessed, Courtney