Living The Dream

Not long after our arrival in Houston, I made a call to one of the members. As the call began, I asked the person how they were doing. The answer was, “living the dream.” I could not help but laugh and I still laugh when I hear those three words. Interestingly, when people ask me, “how’s it going?” and I reply, “living the dream” the result is usually a smile or laugh.

We might ask, “Why would people laugh when they hear the words, ‘living the dream?’” I think it is because most people are not living the dream and they doubt you are really serious. The words are seen to be in jest. In most cases, the words are probably spoken in jest.

But we might ask ourselves, “Are we living the dream?”

Are we living the dream in spite of the chaos, confusion, viciousness, and evil going on in the world? Most people are not living the dream. All too many are living a nightmare.

Consider:

• Are Israelis facing rocket bombardment and every nation around them being dedicated to their destruction, living the dream?
• Are Yazidis and other Iraqis facing beheading and persecution by Isis (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), living the dream?
• Are those living in parts of Africa where Ebola is taking its toll, living the dream?

The frank fact is there is no end of negative news and life would be pretty dismal if we weren’t truly “living the dream” as God’s people.

• We live the dream because we know the true God and His Son and have an ongoing relationship with them and one another (John 17:20-23).
• We live the dream because Jesus Christ is at work in us bringing us to perfection (Colossians 1:27).
• We live the dream because we know the goal and purpose for living. It is a prize well worth striving for (Philippians 3:12-14).

When we hear the words, “living the dream”, we may smile, but we might ask ourselves are we?

Have most pleasant Sabbath evening.

Gary Smith