Gospel
The City of Abundance
by Dan Blankenship
It was a very strange dream I had the other day. I dreamed I was walking through a large, beautiful city. The residents of this amazing metropolis seemed happy and content, milling about the many shops and eateries that lined the immaculate city streets.
At first, I did not approach any of the people to ask them about the city. I just observed the citizens, finding their glowing faces quite addictive. The more I watched them smile and laugh, the more I felt compelled to do the same.
Realizing I was dreaming, I was even more fascinated by my ability to speak with such clarity when I decided to ask one of the people a few questions about this remarkable city.
“What is the name of this city?” I asked a woman pushing a young child in a stroller.
“Abundance,” she replied, never allowing her contagious smile to leave her face.
“Abundance? That seems like a strange name for a city,” I replied.
“Oh, I don’t think so. The city council and the mayor thought it was a perfect choice. Of course they consulted with the elders at the worship center.”
“The worship center?”
“Yes, the worship center. It’s where all of the citizens of Abundance learn about where our blessings come from. It is where we learn everything, including why we are here?”
“Why we are here?” I asked.
“Well, of course. I mean who doesn’t want to know why we are here?”
“Why are we here” I asked.
“Sounds like you should visit the worship center,” the woman replied, offering me her hand. And with one hand pushing the stroller and the other hand firmly wrapped around my fingers, this intriguing woman led me down the street and toward my next destination in the rather odd dream.
We eventually came upon an enormous structure made of glass. The glass had been tinted in such a way that it was impossible to see inside the building, and the sun reflected off the glass with such brilliance that is was as if the edifice was actually glowing.
The woman did not speak as she led me to the door. She nodded for me to enter, and then she managed to increase the smile etched upon her face. As I looked down at her child in the stroller, I noticed the even her son was smiling as I entered the worship center.
In the foyer of the building, there was a giant fountain made of marble, rubies and pearls embedded into the statue of an eagle rising up out of the water. And out of the top of the eagle’s head, a shower of light blue water rained down. All around the base of the fountain the following words were repeated, etched in the marble, “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” (2 Peter 1:2 NIV)
I stared at the fountain for a short time, and then I began to walk down a long hallway that had open doors on each side. I looked in the first doorway to my left, and there I watched as the ten people in the room read from the same book in unison. Occasionally the people would stop reading from the book and discuss what they had read. All of the people looked exultant as they examined the scriptures inside the book.
I walked to the open door on the right side of the hallway. Looking into this room, I saw men and women praying and fasting, their heads bowed, eyes closed. Some of the people looked angelic as they completely surrendered their minds to the worship at hand.
Curious as to what I would find in the other open doorways. I began to speed up my examination of the rooms that lined the hallway.
In the next room, I watched as fifteen citizens of Abundance sang praises to God, their voices working in perfect harmony, which was magnified by the discipline of their performance.
In the room after that, I saw men, women, and children of all ages writing testimonies about their Savior and the teachings of the book I saw in the first room. The Redeemer was the centerpiece of each declaration brought forth in this room.
And in the room after that, I saw men learning trades and studying many fields of interests, but always examining how their work was for the Lord and not for other men. On a chalkboard at the front of the room were the words, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23 NIV)
In another room I watched as people packed grocery bags with donated food. Attaching address labels to each of the bags, some workers were then asked to deliver the goods as quickly as they could.
As I continued to move down the hallway, I noticed that in every room, people were busy doing things for the purpose of worship. None of the rooms contained people involved in folly, gossip, slothfulness, or self-indulgence.
And then I realized why the citizens of Abundance were so content. They had managed to create a worship center that stayed busy with real works. The people of this community had done more than just ask why we they were here. They went beyond just answering the question. Once they discovered the answer as to why they were here, they actually got busy with the works that the why demanded.
By the time I made my way to the last room in the worship center, I was trembling with anxiety. For I knew that soon I was to wake from this dream. And that I may never have a chance to visit this dream city called Abundance again. But most of all, I was scared I would never be able to accurately describe the unconditional love, the unwavering loyalty, and the empathy the citizens of Abundance demonstrated toward one another.
Does such a place as Abundance exist currently on our planet? I don’t believe it does. But if such a place did exist, I am sure it would begin with a community ready to “soar on wings like eagles.”
Only when we are dutifully carrying out God’s will can we fully comprehend the answer to why we are here. And that is when we truly have life, and have it more abundantly.
Source: (Isaiah 40:31 NIV – full verse, “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”)
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