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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
"God Puts A Dream In Our Heart"
September 3, 2008
Over the last two weeks I have been watching the political conventions on
television. Both Barak Obama and John McCain are pretty good at casting a
vision and helping us to dream dreams. Both of them are encouraging us to
think about what could be accomplished in this country if we elect the right
person. I like that. For the first time since the current campaign began, I am
starting to get excited about the election.
The last time I felt so hopeful was when I was a teenager. The whole world
was in front of me back then. I got my driver's license when I was sixteen
and I felt like I could do anything. I was excited about the future. Why not?
My first car was a 1965 Ford Mustang. I was king of the road. As I drove
around Eastern Connecticut I held my head high. It was hard to imagine life
getting any better. It did though. A couple of years later, my father let me
have his 1969 Mach One Mustang. I was living a dream.
Of course those kind of dreams don't last. Soon I was off to college and I
had to settle for more modest transportation. I owned an old Toyota Corolla
and later an AMC Gremlin. After college Lori and I got married and we
drove around in a Chevy Vega Station wagon for a couple of years.
Welcome to real life!
Fast forward twenty five years and now I am driving a Corolla again and we
also own a mini-van. We are firmly entrenched in middle class America.
Today I only dream about driving a hot car. Of course I have had fun
driving a friend's Jaguar for a week and sitting behind the wheel of another
friend's Hummer. Just last year my brother even let me sit on his Harley
Davidson. He offered to start it up if I promised not to try and drive it. (He
didn't want me to get hurt.)
It is fun to dream. As I was watching the politicians I was reminded that as
people of faith we are called to dream dreams and have visions. It is not just
for kids. God calls all of us to look beyond our present circumstances and
to look for the possibilities.
I like the quote from George Bernard Shaw, which was later used by Robert
Kennedy, which says, "Some see things the way they are and ask, "Why?" I
dream things that never were, and ask "Why not?" I believe God puts big
dreams in our hearts. Our job is to live them and build a better world around
us. It doesn't matter what political stripes we wear. The important thing is
to claim those dreams.
We must not be content to simply exist. We must be reaching out with the
transforming power of God to the world around us. To get back to the
analogies of my cars, we cannot be content to drive around in a Ford Focus
when God has a Cadillac for us. So claim your dream. Reach out and make
a difference to the people around you and give God the glory.
God bless. See you in church. Cal
September 3, 2008
Over the last two weeks I have been watching the political conventions on
television. Both Barak Obama and John McCain are pretty good at casting a
vision and helping us to dream dreams. Both of them are encouraging us to
think about what could be accomplished in this country if we elect the right
person. I like that. For the first time since the current campaign began, I am
starting to get excited about the election.
The last time I felt so hopeful was when I was a teenager. The whole world
was in front of me back then. I got my driver's license when I was sixteen
and I felt like I could do anything. I was excited about the future. Why not?
My first car was a 1965 Ford Mustang. I was king of the road. As I drove
around Eastern Connecticut I held my head high. It was hard to imagine life
getting any better. It did though. A couple of years later, my father let me
have his 1969 Mach One Mustang. I was living a dream.
Of course those kind of dreams don't last. Soon I was off to college and I
had to settle for more modest transportation. I owned an old Toyota Corolla
and later an AMC Gremlin. After college Lori and I got married and we
drove around in a Chevy Vega Station wagon for a couple of years.
Welcome to real life!
Fast forward twenty five years and now I am driving a Corolla again and we
also own a mini-van. We are firmly entrenched in middle class America.
Today I only dream about driving a hot car. Of course I have had fun
driving a friend's Jaguar for a week and sitting behind the wheel of another
friend's Hummer. Just last year my brother even let me sit on his Harley
Davidson. He offered to start it up if I promised not to try and drive it. (He
didn't want me to get hurt.)
It is fun to dream. As I was watching the politicians I was reminded that as
people of faith we are called to dream dreams and have visions. It is not just
for kids. God calls all of us to look beyond our present circumstances and
to look for the possibilities.
I like the quote from George Bernard Shaw, which was later used by Robert
Kennedy, which says, "Some see things the way they are and ask, "Why?" I
dream things that never were, and ask "Why not?" I believe God puts big
dreams in our hearts. Our job is to live them and build a better world around
us. It doesn't matter what political stripes we wear. The important thing is
to claim those dreams.
We must not be content to simply exist. We must be reaching out with the
transforming power of God to the world around us. To get back to the
analogies of my cars, we cannot be content to drive around in a Ford Focus
when God has a Cadillac for us. So claim your dream. Reach out and make
a difference to the people around you and give God the glory.
God bless. See you in church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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