I had an interesting experience today. I was driving in the car, alone with the silence and deep in thought, when I felt the urge to hear some music in the background. I had a four hour drive ahead of me and was trying to decide what to listen to. After several songs from one of the albums on my iphone broadcasting through the audio system, I had the urge to hear an album from one of my favorite groups when I was in my late teens – an obscure group by the name of TW4 that eventually changed its name to Styx and reached international fame with songs such as “Come Sail Away’, “Lorelei”, “Lady” and many other hits of the seventies and later.
Actually, I knew about the group years ago, when I was in high school. They played at a local high school, Mother McAuley, in Oak Lawn, IL and I attended the sock hops almost every week-end. This was back in 1969 or so and Dennis DeYoung, their lead singer was someone I spoke with at every dance. Of course, he ended up as a major rock star and even appeared on Broadway in New York. This afternoon, as soon as I started listening to the album I chose, I was transported back to that time before I even started in the corporate world. In fact, it was before I even started college.
Once the music started, I really listened to the words and during one of the songs, the verse had to do with the dreams that we had way back when. Of course, in the nostalgic state of mind I was in, it really hit home. I started to think of all the twists and turns my life has taken since those high school days. Not only that, but the changes Dennis deYoung experienced in his life. Who would have thought that he would become a star and that I would eventually attend seminary? That was never even on my radar screen. But one thing is for sure – I dreamed dreams and my life hasn’t turned out the way I thought. When I really kick back and think about it, the realities I have had are probably better than the fantasies and dreams that I had back then.
The verse for tonight is from the Old Testament prophet Joel and speaks to the condition of people in the future. The prophet tells us, in Joel 2:28, “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” Notice that even the old men will dream dreams. Come to think of it, I still have dreams… Life isn’t over for Janet and me. We still think about the future and all the hopes and dreams we still have to fulfill. And just because we had visions and dreams as young people doesn’t prevent us from still looking to the future.
My encouragement this evening is that God wants each of us to dream dreams as well. Even Peter, in his first sermon to the people gathered on Pentecost, quoted this verse from Joel to those assembled to hear the message of God. My prayer is that you will honor God in your dreams and aspirations and that you will never lose sight of the fact that everything is possible with God. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…