"This day, we fight"
>> Thursday, January 13, 2011
Because I'm a film major, it's hard for me to watch a movie without analyzing how it was made. The first time I watched Inception in theaters, I counted the shot length (the amount of time the camera remains on something without interruption, when it cuts, it's a new "shot") of a two minute sequence at the beginning of the film (starting right when Arthur is shot in the head in dreamworld). Because I counted shots, I missed what actually happened within the story. I counted to 120 and using my hands, counted the number of times the camera cut. This sequence averaged about 14 seconds (give or take a few seconds). Don't ask me why I remember that. All I know is that sometimes, I just want to enjoy a movie for the story it tells. I unknowingly believe that if I use my knowledge of film theory and film history, I can appreciate a film more. More often than not, I can appreciate a film that others don't like. Not because I'm above them, but because my mind is programmed to search for things that the average Joe film-goer wouldn't look for. However, outside of my film classes, I search and analyze too deep and try to become the director or sound technician or score composer.
This is how I often think about God's word. Unfortunately, I've come to realize that it's a direct reflection of how I think about God. I'll read a part of Scripture and try my hardest to think about it on a really deep level or try to get something out of it that others might not. I don't think this is to say that I want know more than others (sometimes it is), but it's moreso my thirst to know God. And I don't mean that in a boastfully. This isn't the kind of knowing that we often talk about as Christians. When questioning whether or not someone is a Christian, we often ask: "does he/she know Jesus?" We use that term loosely. At least, I have up until now. There's a difference between knowing about God and knowing God, which I'll give my thoughts on soon. The following is a quote from the introduction of John Piper's newest book "Think."
"The way we glorify him is by knowing him truly, by treasuring him above all things, and by living in a way that shows he is our supreme treasure." Then he quotes a segment of Philippians: 'It is my eager expectation and hope that...Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain....To depart and be with Christ...is far better....I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.' (Phil. 1:2--21, 23; 3:8) Therefore the main reason God has given us minds is that we might seek out and find all the reasons that exist for treasuring him in all things and above all things."
I don't think I've ever talked about theology more than I have in the last 5 months. Predestination, creation, God's actions in the Old Testament vs. New Testament, Jesus' 2nd return, homosexuality (this particular one has come up the most), and so much more. I find myself loving theology. A part of me feels intelligent because I have an amateur opinion about these things and understand them on some level. I can confidently talk to someone about theology and play devil's advocate. But I never stop to think about why. Why do I want to understand these things? Right now, as I write this, the only thing I can say is "I have completely missed the point." I've missed the point of what it means to love God with my mind. I believe that I have at least attempted to love God with my heart and my soul, but not so much with my mind. I want to know so much about God and how to defend my faith that I forget why I have faith at all. I get so caught up in intelligence. To be honest, I'm tired of talking about theology and trying to look deeper past the Gospel. The Gospel IS the deep stuff. Jesus is the deep stuff. Even though I enjoy theological discussion and want this world to understand the church and the different ways it sees "gray" areas," I forget that I am made to do that for JESUS. Not for the sake of Christians or for the sake of this world. I was made (we were made) to know God in a sense of standing in His presence and basking in His glory. Through this, we can know Him. I'm still trying to figure out how to do that. All this isn't to say that we aren't supposed to ask hard questions about theology or gray areas. We should. But please, do not forget why. Slowly, I can see that my mind does not fight hard enough to glorify God. Which brings me to my next thought.
One question I'm often asked as a film major is what my favorite movie is. I always say the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I love it because there are thousands of people, a few dozen in particular, fighting for something. It's not something empty. In the second movie at Osgiliath, in the midst of battle between man and Uruk-hai, Frodo pins Sam to the ground and puts a sword to his neck. Sam, frightened, is still able to say "It's me. It's your Sam. Don't you know your Sam?" Feeling defeated by the evil surrounding him, Frodo let's him go, drops the sword. He asks, "What are we fighting for, Sam?" And Sam replies with something that makes my heart soar. "That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for." This is an incredible picture of how Jesus tries to speak to us. Because Frodo is weighed down by the ring and the evil that surrounds them, his vision (metaphorically speaking) and his mind are blurred and he attacks the one person who chooses to walk beside him from start to finish: Sam. Even in our darkest hours where our hearts and minds pin Jesus to the ground with a sword to His neck, I believe He looks at us and says "It's me. It's your Jesus. Don't you know your Jesus?" Jesus giving us possession of Himself is not something we should take lightly.
--Ephesians 6:14-17
Now picture this. All followers of Jesus coming together to fight a battle. We put on armor and sharpen our swords and secure our helmets into place. You're standing beside your best friends and people you've met that you greatly admire. And we charge against the enemy being told this:
We charge, and in unison, we are shouting our BATTLECRY:
You'll experience triumph. You'll experience faith. You'll lead troops to beat down the enemy. You'll protect your soldiers. Commanders will acknowledge you for your bravery and swordsmanship. But you'll also get tired. You will experience casualty and failure. You'll be tempted to join the enemy because it's easier to fight on that side. You'll be tempted to betray and abandon fellow soldiers because some are too weak or don't know how to fight like the strongest. In fact, some of the best soldiers will turn against you. You'll be discouraged and will want to give up. You will hate. You won't like how some people fight. But remember this, it is not about you or any soldier. Remember this above all, the war has already been won by the very person you are fighting for. You're invincible and untouchable because of your armor. You'll end up with cuts and bruises...but you will win if you believe that your armor protects you. So don't stop. Fight HARD. Fight like you truly believe that you've won. Ask yourself this: Are you fighting like Jesus is worth it? The only thing we must do is fight til the end. The enemy knows this. He will do all he can to make you believe that these things are false. Don't let the enemy win.
Brothers and sisters, "this day" is EVERYDAY. We must fight with this intensity everyday. No matter how easy or hard a task, this is how we must fight. We fight to know God with our minds, hearts and souls. We fight to proclaim His name to this evil and broken world that we live in. Fight hard. Realize your unique role in the battle and understand the battle you're fighting. You have the Spirit of the LIVING GOD in you. You have the energy to fight. You have the capability to be an amazing soldier. So don't say you don't know how to fight. You do. You were created to do nothing but fight this fight. Believe it.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
