Mordor from Lord of the Rings
The world seems to be doing back flips, almost walking upside down. Things that even ten years ago were deemed unacceptable, that would be appalling to think about, are now the norm. Without blinking an eye, we listen to the overnight news of one shooting here, another one over there. People’s lives are lost for no reason, and while on the outside, we hardly flinch, inside, I think a little of us dies right along with them when they do. Worn-out and harried with a “why even bother’ heart, we throw our helpless hands in the air, shrug our emotional shoulders and walk away in hushed defeat.
The world is feeling pretty hopeless. Rhetoric of bravado and promises that reek of emptiness only add to its growing despair. The gathering gloom of the darkness of Mordor that loomed over the city of Gondor in the days before the last battle, in the trilogy, Lord of the Rings, is more and more what we sense even in the sunlight of our everyday.
Sounds pretty grim, right? Well it is, and would be, but for Jesus.
I recently saw a film which is now on video, that shows the love of Jesus unlike any other depiction of Him I have ever seen. Most of the time when He is portrayed in any type of media, He seems detached and a little aloof from those around Him. But for me while watching this movie, it felt as if His love leapt from the screen into my heart. Yes, there are mistakes, Biblically. Mary Magdalene is depicted as a prostitute, a common misconception; Thomas, the disciple, was already in the room with the other ten disciples when Jesus appeared to them—the Roman tribune was not there; and at the Ascension, Jesus left the earth on a cloud, not in a burst of light. While I am a purist when it comes to Scripture, these veerings did not bother me because in no way did it detract from why Jesus, the Messiah came. In His overwhelming love He came to save the lost. The film is Risen, starring Joseph Fiennes as the Roman tribune whose directive from Pontius Pilate is to find the body of Jesus. What he does find is the living Son of God.
From the Bible, listen to His promises for those that are His.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33 (NLT)
“You are from God, children, and you have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” –1 John 4:4 (TLV)
“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. And the victory that has overcome the world is this—our faith.” -1 John 5:4 (TLV)
“Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” -1 John 5:5 (ESV)
If you don’t know Jesus and need His hope in this lost world, I invite you to get to know Him. The Bible tells us that if we seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him. (See Deuteronomy 4:29.)
And if you do know Him as Lord and as Savior, but are feeling lost in the turmoil of what’s going on, in and around you, take refuge in Him. He is always there. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. (See Hebrews 13:8.)
In Him,
Kimberly
