Whether it was winning a medal or simply taking part, the Paris Olympians have been living their dreams – although for some it turned out to be a nightmare. The same will be true for the Paralympians as they take the stage later this month.
In this season of summer holidays, some will be living the dream of a lovely time away (as I write, Jane and I are having such a time overlooking the Brecon Beacons) – although, for others, it may be a bit of a nightmare…
Over the years, Jane and I have had a recurrent ‘dream’ – an idea which comes and goes but other events of life have meant we have not pursued it (or at least not yet?). It is something we would like to do and Ros and David, the owners of the property where we are staying, have done just that. For here, they offer a quiet space, a place for retreat, within their own home.
One common aspect of my professional career was talking with people about their ‘dreams’: what they wanted to do as a job or career. Sitting down to explore interests, abilities and aptitudes, the starting point was not ‘What could you do?’ but ‘What would you like to do?’. The number of people I met who had never been asked that latter question was astonishing.
Occasionally, if they were still unsure, I’d ask: ‘What would be the dream job?’. More often than not there would be an idea – perhaps one which had been dismissed by others or themselves or prevented by the events of life. We’d then move to the ‘could you do’ question and more often than not there would be a realistic way forward.
Jesus said, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.’ (Matthew 7:7-8)
While (I hope) all have seen answers to such prayers, probably most of us have asked God for something and feel it was not received or we have ‘knocked’ and the door was not opened. Often we can look back and see that it turned out to be the best thing, that it was God’s love and will for us but such times can be painful and difficult also.
Confusingly, there are those times when we genuinely believe God has answered our prayers – and then it all goes wrong… We can all find ourselves affected by the events of life – and, not least, by the behaviour of others. (One imagines God feels the same way about many of things he has wanted too.)
Jesus’ words are not about living the dream but about living in reality. For some, yes, there will be ‘nightmare’ aspects to that reality but for all of us, God is one who wants what we want. The one who provides life in all its fullness. It is within our asking and knocking, within our dreams and our realities, within all the uncertainties and difficulties, that we can most deeply experience God being with us.
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