The Impossible Dream?

I am not one who pays much attention to dreams, but the other day my wife related to me a dream she had. It is not normal that she would even share one of her dreams with me. I found it to be most profound. Here is the dream in a nutshell. She is engaged in a game that involves a series of obstacles that are impossible to overcome. No one can win the game. Those involved are continually being killed off. 

What can this mean?

For me, I immediately saw this dream as an analogy for earthly life. We are born into a world where we are faced with unending obstacles. We overcome one obstacle only to be faced by another. There is no way of winning. At the end we all die. A sobering thought.

I asked her what she did in this dream and she said, "I woke up." Isn't it also true that we say we "wake up" when we realize the true nature of our life on earth? When we realize that in the end we cannot win and we will die? When we seek for something more than the pleasures of this world and begin to seek a relationship with God?

I then asked her what she did after she woke up and she said, "I immediately began saying the Jesus prayer, 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.' This comforted me and I went back to sleep." This too is an important lesson. She called on God for mercy and was comforted. 

This is what we must all learn to do. It is only in the Kingdom to come, God's Kingdom, that we can have hope for eternal life. All the obstacles of this worldly life are only trials to prepare us for this eternal future lived in harmony with God. When we are able to call on Him as we are engaged in our worldly life's struggles we will retain hope, be comforted and led to a greater realm. But first we must realize the impossible hope of "winning" through worldly pursuits. We can only "win" by keeping focused on God no matter what obstacle we are presented with.

Where is the pleasure in life which is unmixed with sorrow? Where the glory which on earth has stood firm and unchanged? All things are weaker than shadow, all more illusive than dreams; comes one fell stroke, and Death in turn, prevails over all these vanities. Wherefore in the Light, O Christ, of Your countenance, the sweetness of Your beauty, to him (her) whom You have chosen grant repose, for You are the Friend of Mankind. (from funeral service)