Tuesday, July 6, 2004

And let people learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs, so that they may not be unproductive.
(Titus 3.14 NRSV)

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On the evening of August 27, 1963, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was pacing the floor of the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. The next day he would be standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial addressing a crowd of 250,000 people on the issues of equality and justice. The event was in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The dilemma which confronted King was how to adequately express himself in the eight minutes he would be permitted to stand at the podium.

All through the night King worked on his speech, writing one draft after another. He demanded that his aides remain awake with him, so they could comment on each new effort. His friends tried to convince him to throw away the manuscript, and just allow the Holy Spirit to carry forth the words from his mouth. King would not entertain such a thought, and the vigil continued. By morning the speech was completed, typed, and distributed to the media.

Later that day King ascended the platform. There was great expectation among the audience as this noble orator stood before them. Slowly and deliberately King began to read his carefully prepared text. After a few short paragraphs, he suddenly realized the words were not adequate. Pushing the manuscript aside, King spoke from the heart, proclaiming, "I have a dream today."

What may be considered King's most noted address did not come from a prepared manuscript, but from the soul of a man moved by the spirit of God. Thus the angel comes to us, when we least expect it but are in greatest need. The angel of the Lord comes to us, filling us with the blessing of the Holy Spirit.

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God of love, thank you for meeting my spiritual needs. Amen.

Ron Newhouse

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