Good Morning Friends,
We are approaching Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and some will recall his “I Have a Dream” speech. Yet only months before his death, Dr. King preached another sermon—“Unfulfilled Dreams.” In it, he reflected on 1 Kings 8, where David longed to build the temple but never saw it completed. David walked toward a shining city he would not reach. Much of life feels like that. Some dreams remain unfinished until Christ makes all things new. As I reflect on Dr. King’s writings, sermons, and witness—and on today’s Scriptures—I’m reminded that he was right about the need for a radical, nonviolent break from the status quo. And Jesus was right that the Kingdom requires something new, not merely a gentler version of what already is. So we ask: How Do We Balance Self-interest And Justice In A Dream That is Actually Attainable?
Scripture: John the Baptist points to Jesus as the Lamb of God, the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:29–34).
Isaiah reminds us that God’s servant is given as a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:3, 5–6).
Hebrews teaches that faith is the assurance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1–3).
Paul greets the Corinthians as those called to be saints (1 Corinthians 1:1–3).
And we are urged to remain steadfast, knowing our labor in the Lord is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
John writes, “If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
Message: We struggle to be honest about our self‑interest, our wounds, and our complicity in injustice. We lament our weaknesses but often hide them instead of letting God use them for Kingdom purposes. Jesus did not desire suffering, yet He obeyed the Father for our salvation. His obedience teaches us to love with courage and to embrace the cost of real change. We cannot wait passively for the Prince of Peace to return. Nor can we bless the status quo while claiming to prepare the way of the Lord. Patterns of sin passed from generation to generation threaten our faith. Sorrow alone is not enough. True repentance and lasting change require God’s mercy and a love far deeper than we usually offer.Dr. King reminds us that many of our dreams—dreams of character, justice, and peace—may remain unfinished but can still be purposeful and perfect in the sense that it is what God intended for our lives. Moses, David, Paul, and Gandhi all died with work undone. Yet King insists that faith makes perseverance possible. With Christ beside us, we can stand firm in the storm. God is everywhere we turn, and that is what matters most.
And So, in the midst of our unfinished dreams and our longing for justice, Scripture gives us a profound promise: Jesus is our Advocate in heaven.Jesus does not advocate for us because we are innocent—He advocates because He is righteous. His advocacy is not a loophole in divine justice; it is the very heart of divine justice. At the cross, mercy and truth meet, righteousness and peace kiss. Jesus paid the price for our sin. So how does this shape our pursuit of justice? Because Jesus stands for us, we stand for others. Because He intercedes for us, we intercede for the oppressed. Because He bears witness to the truth, we refuse to hide behind silence or comfort. Because He reconciles us to God, we work for reconciliation among people. Christ’s advocacy frees us from despair when justice seems slow. It frees us from self‑righteousness when justice seems within reach. And it frees us from fear, because the One who pleads for us is also the One who empowers us.
Pray for hope when dreams remain unfulfilled. Pray that hope in Christ frees us to love boldly and work for justice. Pray for awakening from false comfort and for courage to embrace a new way. Pray we reject myths that tie worth to social class. Pray for peace rooted not in domination but in mercy. Pray we do not delay love, grace, repentance, or justice.Pray for honesty about our pain and for suffering to draw us closer to Christ. Pray we pass on a living, intimate faith to the next generation. Pray we dream dreams that glorify God.Pray we realize that Jesus, our Advocate and Righteous One, is the one who teaches us to love justice as God loves the justice of Jesus on the Cross. Pray we defend the vulnerable as Jesus defends us against the prosecution of the Devil.Pray we are made into instruments of God’s mercy and our pursuit of justice reflects the heart of Jesus.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 