February 6, 2021 (Saturday)
The song, “The Impossible Dream” (aka “The Quest”) is an integral part of the story, “The Man of LaMancha.” But it stands alone with a message all its own that has inspired millions of people to try harder, to do better.
The song lists noble attempts to live up to high ideals.
Jesus gave us a similar quest in Matthew 5:48, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” My friends, that standard is an “impossible dream.” It is an unreachable goal for us normal human beings, even if we have been born again and have become “new creations” in Christ. But it is a goal toward which we should strive.
If we make perfection our goal, we will always fail to reach it, because we are but human, and experience has taught us that we are imperfect. We as Christians have an unreachable goal: perfection. If the goal were modified and adjusted to reality, we might feel relieved to have a goal that is less than perfection, but, being the humans that we are, we would soon modify the lesser goal, making exceptions and accepting compromise. Therefore perfection is the goal, with full knowledge that we are sinners saved by grace, always repenting and frequently asking God for forgiveness. In this situation, we are “all in the same boat.” Yet perfection remains our goal, even though we know for sure it is an unreachable goal.
Every honorable goal we encounter or set for ourselves calls upon us to try harder, do better, and never give up. But we have learned the lesson that we always need the help that the Holy Spirit within freely gives to us. Each of us has a purpose in life, and God gives us many helps to fulfill that purpose. You could probably name a few of those aids to spiritual growth that the Lord has placed in your life. Not a day goes by without His help.
THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM
Words: Joseph Darion
Music: Mitch Leigh
1966
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To right the un-rightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest,
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.
To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause.
And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, sore and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star