I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King .Jr HD (subtitled)
“I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream. (Amos 5:21-24)
Dear Seeking Soul, Today is the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. My heart was convicted of listening to this prophetic voice, which was the Voice of God to hundreds of God’s people in a season of darkness, oppression, and segregation. In the background, I am listening to the Negro Spiritual song “Hold on: Keep yo’ han’ on dat plow Hold àn! Hold on!” https://www.negrospirituals.com/songs/hold_on.htm
Still wondering what God wanted me to rally the church about, then I had it: Keep your hand on that Gospel plow and “HOLD ON.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther Jr. Birth Day is a day to highlight the “Service to Humanity.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King preached on the triad of “Freedom, Justice and Equality” as a solution to the social evils of “Poverty, Racism and Violence”.
Today, by God’s divine providence, was the first day snow came down at night in the Dallas 2024 winter. As I walked on the virgin land, pure and all white, with every step on the snow being the first, I began to think of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream come true. Those who have been relegated to hold the Gospel plow, the “TEAM” to realize the “DREAM,” never slept on the Job. Those Martyrs like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther Jr, who died while plowing and now make up the “Cloud of Witnesses” in heaven, can look down with smiles and say, the “DREAM” has come!
Beloved Soul, as I walked on the virgin snow, I began to think of the time that the Prophet Amos and Brother Dr. Martin Luther Jr. envisioned. The time when the pure snow of righteousness would reign on all the hearts of men and cover the land. There is something about that “pure gentle fall” of snow that covers every pit, pot, and rot, unifying the land with the sanctity of oneness.
- It does not matter whether the neighborhood is rich or poor
- It does not matter whether the people are indigenous, immigrants, or impersonators.
- It does not matter whether the infrastructure is simple or complex.
For when the “Pure gentle fall of snow” occurs, “every pit, every pot, and every rot” is covered with the sanctity of Oneness. So while my brother, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., envisioned the day when the dream would come true. The time has come to rally those of us who work the “Gospel Plow” to “Hold ON” until the “Team” is raised to realize the “Dream”. The prophet Amos envisioned the need to raise a “Team” (Amos 5:21-24):
- A team that would restore the sanctity of our spiritual and national celebrations v/s21
- A team that would restore the integrity and purity of our places of worship
- A team that would restore the credibility of our treasures, time, and talents v/s 22
- A team that would restore the sacredness of our music and dances v/s 23
- A team that would weave in Justice and righteousness in the fabric design of our society v/s 24
Seeking Soul, while my brother, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., envisioned the day when the dream of “Freedom, Justice and Equality” would come true. The time has come to rally those of us who work the “Gospel Plow” to “Hold ON” until the “Team” is raised to realize the “Dream.” We need a “Team” to realize the “Dream.”
- I am part of the TEAM to realize the DREAM
- You are part of the TEAM to realize the DREAM
Church, as I walked on, on the virgin snow, outside our residence, my steps being the first, I noticed something else. There was a squirrel or bunny track that had disturbed my virgin path. I was not the first on the peaceful spread of snow. But that is the reality of our world church. I want to bring to your attention that, there are squirrels out there, and sometimes they find themselves in our midst, in our homes, in our institutions. Squirrels who shuffle the “Dreams” we long to achieve. The writer of the poetic romantic symphonies of Solomon, in one of his classical music pieces, writes a crescendo: “Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.” (Songs of Solomon 2:15)
Seeking Soul, the cry of the soloist is not about the little foxes but rather the noble, courageous folks who can Catch the little foxes so that our dreams can be realized. YES, those who know how to hold the Gospel plow and keep Holding until every soul is worked and restored into righteousness. Our world today, with all its pits, pots, and rots, needs fox catchers. As my heart was disturbed by these “little” foxes, I felt the urge to charge the church to rise.
- Who will catch us, the little foxes that steal, destroy, or even kill our “tender” dreams?
- Who will catch us, the little foxes that endanger our “tender” relationships, aspirations, and celebrations
- Who will catch us, the little foxes?
Seeking Soul, while my brother the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned the day when the dream of “Freedom, Justice and Equality” would come true. The time has come to rally those of us, who work the “Gospel Plow” to “Hold ON” until the “Team” is raised to realize the “Dream.” We need a “Team” to realize the “Dream.”
Will you be the TEAM to make the DREAM?
How will you Stand in the Gap?