Daily Worship

“I have a dream…”

Neil MacLennan June 10, 2025 4 0
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Acts 2: 14 - 21 (NIVUK)

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 

‘“In the last days, God says,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.

18 

Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
    and they will prophesy.

19 

I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.

20 

The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

21 

And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

“I have a dream…” 

Perhaps one of the most iconic phrases of the last century, maybe even of the last millennium. Contrary to popular opinion Martin Luther King did not start his speech with these famous words. Indeed, he wasn’t supposed to say them at all — they were not in his preprepared transcript handed to the press in advance. Instead, towards the end of his written speech he moved his papers off to one side, looked up and addressed the crowd directly. He went, quite literally, off-script. The resulting extemporaneous poetic exhortations captivated a nation, and changed the world. It is a delight that we have it on YouTube, for all time.

Would that we could rewatch the scene at Pentecost:

A man emerges from the jumbled throng.
Fervour and fury displaced by curiosity,
the crowd falls silent, breath abated. 
He speaks with the Holy Spirit, breath aflame.
And he, too, talks of visions and dreams.

 

Prayer:

 

Holy Spirit,

Would that you could free us from the shackles of our own self-moderation.

Would that you could inspire us with Holy breath and words of persuasion, encouragement and strengthening.

Would that you could stir up the hearts of those who can hear and those who can see.

 

You can?

 

Oh.

 

Amen.