I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables expresses the experience of many of us. Watch the video and then ponder the rest of this post…
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I prayed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hopes apart
And they turn your dreams to shame
Still I dream he’d come to me
And we would live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed
Believing “there was no ransom to be paid,” Israel had “used and wasted” their God-given dream.” “Don’t you realize it is God you are treating like this? This is crazy! Isn’t this your father who created you, who gave you a place on Earth? (Deuteronomy 32:5-6). Then a tiger [Babylon] ravaged their hopes, leaving behind a hellish existence of shame and regret. And yet, “God told them, ‘I’ve never quit loving you and never will. So I’ll start over with you and build you up again, dear Israel.’” “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you a future and hope—never forget that. I will bring you back to the place that is your rightful home” (Jeremiah 29:10-14).