"Wonderkiller" by Liz Janes

Dream Stealers: A Reading
By Mike Yaconelli, from the book, Dangerous Wonder

A young high school student’s father was a horse trainer. Because the family had to follow the horse-racing season, the young boy had to change schools throughout the year. During his senior year he was asked to write a paper about what his dreams for the future were. His paper described his dream of owning a 200-acre horse ranch with stables and tracks, and a 4,000-square-foot home. He even drew a diagram of the property and the design of his house. He turned in the paper. . .and two days later it came back with an “F” on the front and a note to see his teacher. After class, the teacher explained to the boy that his dream was “unrealistic.” The boy went home and asked his father what to do. “It’s your decision,” said the father. Dad knew this was a very important decision. The boy kept the paper for a week and then returned it to his teacher after class. “Here,” the boy said, “you can keep the ‘F’ and I’ll keep my dream.”

That teacher was a dream stealer.

Matthew’s gospel (see 12:1-8) also gives us an example. Christ’s disciples, new to the faith, were giddy with the exhilaration of following Jesus. They were clueless and naïve, filled with awe and wonder. Hungry, they began to tromp through a field picking food to eat. Suddenly the reverie is broken by Pharisees yelling, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You are not to work on the Sabbath! Religion is about rules and regulations and you are acting irresponsibly.”

Dream stealers.

They might as well have said, “Look, religion should not make you full of live, it should be serious business. Religion is all about rules and regulations. Learn where the lines are. Now, obey the Sabbath and behave like the rest of us and we’ll give you another chance.” In effect Jesus said to them, “You can have your rules. I’ll keep giving people their dream of an adventurous faith!” Christ is the Dream Giver who wants us to listen to His dream for us so we can run like children in the fields of His grace. Trouble is, the fields are full of obstacles—obstacles that deafen us to God’s dreams for us and keep us from an adventurous faith (25-27).

© 1998 by Mike Yaconelli. All rights reserved. NavPress.

Connect with Scripture
1. Did you ever face a dream stealer like the high school teacher? What happened?
2. Were you ever a dream stealer like that teacher?
3. Has someone ever been a spiritual dream stealer in your life like the Pharisees?
4. Have you ever been a spiritual dream stealer?
5. What is the dream that God offers us?


Today’s Song: “Wonderkiller,” by Liz Janes
from the album, Poison & Snakes

1. Tremble at the hope of my true love’s promise
You are not my true love
His promise is not dependent upon my belief
But upon His Word only

2. His Word is so true
Oh, why did I ever choose you?
You are killing all of my wonder

Chorus
Oh, Killer, killer, killer
Wonder, wonder, wonder
Oh, Wonder, wonder, wonder
Killer, killer, killer

Bridge
Oh, be so true, be so true
Why did I ever choose you?
You are killing all of my wonder

Chorus (2 x)

3. His promise is not dependent upon my belief
But upon His Word only
Tremble at the hope of my true love’s promise
You are not my true love

Music & lyrics by Liz Janes (www.lizjanes.com) © 2004 New Jerusalem Music

Behind the Music
1. Stanzas 1 & 2, the speaker seems to be trying to choose between 2 loves—God and someone else. What’s wrong with the other love?
2. Stanza 1, what makes God the true love?
3. Stanza 2/Chorus, how could other loves/dreams be wonderkillers?
4. What wonderkillers have you faced lately?
5. How were the Phraisees wonderkillers?
6. Have you been tempted to teach like the Pharisees—wanting there to be rules in this religion of ours? How do you make sure to focus on the Gospel (“His promise is not dependent upon my belief/But upon on His Word only”)?

Credits
Lyrics © 2004 by New Jerusalem Music
P.O. Box 225, Clarksboro, N.J. 08020
Liz Janes
Asthmatic Kitty Records