The Recurring Dream
By Richard P. Joseph
I used to have a recurring dream, but not so much lately, about high school. I
dreamt that I was back in high school and I was looking for my classroom but
could not find it. I was panicked because it was the end of the school year and I
just realized that I had forgotten to go to class all year long; and now I couldn’t
find it. I would wake up in a sweat and finally be relieved that it was just a
dream.
Ironically I met several other people that had a similar dream. I am not going to
try and analyze the dream but what is more important is that most people have
real life experiences similar to this dreaded dream.
dreamt that I was back in high school and I was looking for my classroom but
could not find it. I was panicked because it was the end of the school year and I
just realized that I had forgotten to go to class all year long; and now I couldn’t
find it. I would wake up in a sweat and finally be relieved that it was just a
dream.
Ironically I met several other people that had a similar dream. I am not going to
try and analyze the dream but what is more important is that most people have
real life experiences similar to this dreaded dream.
I once heard a businessman ask a group of people this question;
“What if you got to the end of your life and found out you got good at something
that doesn’t matter?” His point was that many of us waste our lives on doing
meaningless tasks or things that just make us feel good for the moment but
never take the challenge of pursuing or conquering anything worth while. He
was attempting to motivate the group to set goals to achieve something better
than what they believed they could do or in other words to make a better life and
income for themselves and their families. I would like to borrow his statement
but modify it just a bit; “What would happen if you got to the end of your life and
you found out that you actually missed the very essence of life itself?” I
actually knew a guy who was abused as a child which affected him his entire life.
He lived a selfish worldly life which prevented him from ever getting married. He
met a lot of big wigs in his day and talked big but something was eating him up
inside. When he got older he began questioning his life and began asking a
friend if he wasted his life. The friend began explaining things to him but
suddenly he died (this is a true story). He died with no wife, no kids, no money,
no “nuttin”. This story, I am finding out, is more common than I would like to
believe. In fact, it is epidemic.
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
I am saddened to watch as many people focus on their flesh and this
world as if there is nothing outside of it. I see many young people putting
off having children because they are taught that kids are simply an
inconvenience to their all important lives and careers. I see young people
attempting to fill that empty void in them by constantly entertaining
themselves. Most of them never heard that there is actually a reason
they are on this earth. There is a mission and a goal and a job for them to
do but they are oblivious to it. I challenge you to read the last few
chapters in John’s gospel. Jesus came to the end of his short life and his
only concern was that he did the father’s will and that he cared about his
disciples. He imparted to them his peace and his desire that they should
know God personally through him. He didn’t say one thing about them
getting good at playing horseshoes or winning in beer pong or about
betting on who would win the superbowl. His concern was with their souls
and their eternal state of being. He was preparing them for the fight they
had in front of the them during the transition period between AD 30-70 to
prepare for his parousia (second coming). Knowing Jesus Christ is the
very essence of life. How sad is it when we see people on their
deathbeds and most never even realize that they missed the very reason
that they were born? They pass in confusion and emptiness. I had the
pleasure of sitting by my mother during her last few days on earth. She
knew her time was concluded and she said to me; “make sure all your
kids are baptized and know Jesus Christ”. She knew her mission and she
conveyed it even in her last breath. What a great witness. Let us not
forget what the real reason we are here for. Let us not forget what Jesus
was really all about. Let us never come to the end of our lives and start
looking for that classroom that we forgot to go to the entire year long!
that doesn’t matter?” His point was that many of us waste our lives on doing
meaningless tasks or things that just make us feel good for the moment but
never take the challenge of pursuing or conquering anything worth while. He
was attempting to motivate the group to set goals to achieve something better
than what they believed they could do or in other words to make a better life and
income for themselves and their families. I would like to borrow his statement
but modify it just a bit; “What would happen if you got to the end of your life and
you found out that you actually missed the very essence of life itself?” I
actually knew a guy who was abused as a child which affected him his entire life.
He lived a selfish worldly life which prevented him from ever getting married. He
met a lot of big wigs in his day and talked big but something was eating him up
inside. When he got older he began questioning his life and began asking a
friend if he wasted his life. The friend began explaining things to him but
suddenly he died (this is a true story). He died with no wife, no kids, no money,
no “nuttin”. This story, I am finding out, is more common than I would like to
believe. In fact, it is epidemic.
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
I am saddened to watch as many people focus on their flesh and this
world as if there is nothing outside of it. I see many young people putting
off having children because they are taught that kids are simply an
inconvenience to their all important lives and careers. I see young people
attempting to fill that empty void in them by constantly entertaining
themselves. Most of them never heard that there is actually a reason
they are on this earth. There is a mission and a goal and a job for them to
do but they are oblivious to it. I challenge you to read the last few
chapters in John’s gospel. Jesus came to the end of his short life and his
only concern was that he did the father’s will and that he cared about his
disciples. He imparted to them his peace and his desire that they should
know God personally through him. He didn’t say one thing about them
getting good at playing horseshoes or winning in beer pong or about
betting on who would win the superbowl. His concern was with their souls
and their eternal state of being. He was preparing them for the fight they
had in front of the them during the transition period between AD 30-70 to
prepare for his parousia (second coming). Knowing Jesus Christ is the
very essence of life. How sad is it when we see people on their
deathbeds and most never even realize that they missed the very reason
that they were born? They pass in confusion and emptiness. I had the
pleasure of sitting by my mother during her last few days on earth. She
knew her time was concluded and she said to me; “make sure all your
kids are baptized and know Jesus Christ”. She knew her mission and she
conveyed it even in her last breath. What a great witness. Let us not
forget what the real reason we are here for. Let us not forget what Jesus
was really all about. Let us never come to the end of our lives and start
looking for that classroom that we forgot to go to the entire year long!
