Reflection - Dreams

By Steve Hall

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032721.cfm
Ezekiel 37:21-28
John 11:45-46

Dreams. 

Since we assign the term to a somewhat diverse group of events, it will probably be useful to identify the distinguishing characteristics of each, because there is only one type that I want to talk about.

The word is most commonly used to specify the stories and images which our minds create while we sleep. These may be terrifying or romantic, suggest fantasy or reality. They may entertain, disturb or frighten. Scientists have yet to determine whether or not these dreams are significantly related to a person’s waking world.

Day dreaming refers to that stream of consciousness that occasionally distracts us from whatever our current tasks or endeavors may be and sends us off on some pleasant mental journey. Day dreams shift our attention from the present reality to an alternate one. While they are usually begin with some aspect of the real, their most distinguishing feature is that they engage us in a fantasy world.

Those dreams which are often identified as wishful thinking flow from the formation of beliefs based on what might be pleasing to imagine rather than being based on evidence, rationality or reality. Such dreams may be innocuous; but with some people they may lead the dreamer into irresponsible or dangerous behavior. For most, however, such dreams are recognized as being distinct from the real world.

Finally, there is the dream which might more aptly be termed a vision. This could conceivably include the dream Fontane sang about in Les Miserable or that place ‘Over the Rainbow’ that Dorothy sang of in the Wizard of Oz. Both possibilities may be questionable as examples of the vision/dream here described because the vision/dream is more than just a fantasy or a figment of one’s imagination. It elicits positive action with the intent of making the dream a reality and at least intimates that the dream may one day come to pass. The Dream of Martin Luther King, which he described in his most famous speech, was most certainly a vision/dream. The man spent his life in actively pursuing it. It is this type of dream with which we are here concerned when we ask the question: Does God dream?

Scripture would suggest that He does. Just review our Old Testament readings from the past several weeks.

In God’s dream —

Mankind will live and grow numerous, and the Lord God will provide blessings.
His people will be raised high in praise, renown and glory above all the nations God has made.
His people will be a people sacred to Him.
His people will be abundantly blessed by Him.
The descendants of his people shall overcome their enemies.
Through this same group all the nations of the earth shall find blessing.
His people shall eat the good things of the land.
In His dream, the Lord Himself will be like the dew for His people and they shall blossom like the lily.
His people shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall blossom like the vine,
Along the ways they shall find pasture.
They shall not hunger or thirst, nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them;
In that dream the Lord will open the graves of his people and have them rise.
God’s own Spirit will be placed in each and every one that each may live, 
The Lord Himself is the mighty champion in that dream: persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.
God Himself will lead, and guide to springs of water.
All obstacles shall be made smooth.
There shall always be rejoicing and happiness.
No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard when that dream springs forth.

It’s a sweeping image that this dream portrays. And yet there is still more. In the dream/vision of God there will be peace. There will be justice. There will be joy. Moreover, as is essential to every authentic dream/vision, the Lord God has been active for uncounted ages past and is still working today to make the dream real.

He selected a people to work with.
He formed them into a nation.
He gave them protection when they needed it.
He gave them an everlasting moral Law of timeless truth.
He established a perpetual familial relationship with them.
He showed them the path to life.
He established the norms for proper worship.
He raised them as a Father raises his child — warning — admonishing — teaching — correcting — all as was then necessary.
He sent his Son to vanquish man’s greatest fear.
And then sent his Spirit to provided strength and guidance. 

God has not been muddled in his vision. It has been constant for uncounted ages. Neither has he been chintzy in his efforts to bring it to its inevitable fulfillment. He has worked anew with every generation.

But “wait a minute” so many would say. This is my dream. I’ve been working all my life for world peace, for justice and for the happiness of all mankind. If people would only accept what I understand to be true, we then would have the peace, justice and happiness that I envision.

Every social/political ‘ism’ has taken this stance.

The problem, of course, should be obvious. The dream/vision as described by Scripture is not the dream/vision of a man, or of men or of all mankind, though many have appropriated parts of it to themselves. In doing so they say: “Come! Let us make the world that we deem best and compel others to follow and accept it as is necessary.”

But our dream/vision was placed in human hearts and minds by God, who willed that we should share in what was and is His dream. So, while we raise high the banners of peace, justice, freedom and happiness, we too often do so in the name of humanity according to rules we ourselves create.

Ultimately, as we pursue our own law or our self-serving reinterpretation of God’s law, our banners become the dust of the earth; for the true rules to be followed in order for the dream to shine forth were given long ago. This is not simply a matter of obeying the Ten Commandments. Neither is it sufficiently contained in the command to love one another. Both of these most people will try to do and parts are even incorporated into our civil and criminal law. But there is an issue that precedes these and is intimately tied to the origin of the dream. It is the original command: Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and all your strength. In doing so we will be blessed, for such love is not possible except insofar as one trusts in the Lord and places all hope is the Lord.

We may rely on obedience to the Commandments as the fulfillment of our duty towards God. And, in many ways, such obedience avoids difficulties because attention to them is part of our social norms. (While I say this I find myself wondering if our fascination with Sunday sports and recreation do not contradict the command to keep Holy the Lord’s day. Likewise is keeping up with the Joneses anything more than coveting our neighbor’s goods. Similarly, is passing along rumors — political or otherwise — without a search for the facts just another form of bearing false witness?)

Loving God above all — trusting in the Lord — hoping in the Lord! When we examine the life consequences of these, all seem much more difficult than keeping commandments. Living that love, that trust and that hope means surrendering our dream to God’s. But His is the only one that can become real.

" Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
" Does it hurt ?” asked the Rabbit.
" Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."
" Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit ?"
" It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse." You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
(From The Velveteen Rabbit)

So it is with God’s Dream. We. Must love it for a really long time. We can’t break easily or have sharp edges or need to be carefully kept. Our hair may be loved off. Our eyes may drop out. We may get loose in the joints and very shabby. But if we love God and His Dream — not ours — then it will become real.