Popular Culture

I've noticed a trend in several books and TV shows I've seen lately. It's not an overtly "anti-God" message, but rather, random lines apropos of nothing that discourage a belief in God.

These works usually have nothing to do with religion or faith, yet feel the need to refer to God as an "imaginary superhero in the sky" or to state that "humans created the devil."

Furthermore, there's often a correlation portrayed between atheism and intelligence. One science fiction show basically stated that if a primitive society were "more advanced" it would have no need for religion.

Now, I'm not saying that as Christians, we shouldn't be watching or reading such things. There's fun, and one can find good messages in the secular media. I just think we need to be aware, and not ignore this trend (I say trend, though it's probably been going on for a while) because "it's just one line."

It's just one line once, but all those "one lines" can build up in your mind if you let them-- and the ideas you let into your mind come back out in your own thoughts and feelings. I have examples, but that's another post.

There are messages in everything we read and watch-- some are overt, some more subtle. We need to be aware of what we're putting into our minds, and focus on making sure it's the good stuff that goes in.

Strange Comfort

Oops, I guess it's been a while... Still trying to get my act together, I guess.

There's a song called "Scandalon" by Michael Card. Altogether, it's an amazing song, but there's one line in particular that I want to write about today:

"Many will be broken so that He [Jesus] can make them whole."

Every time I hear that line, I feel a sense of comfort, but until yesterday, I couldn't figure out why. I mean, who wants to be broken? It's painful and unpleasant. But at the same time, it's going to happen-- it's the way our fallen world works.

But here's the thing-- if we trust in God, if we allow him to work in us, he'll fix us when we've been broken. I've seen it happen in my own life.

And here's the other thing that brings me comfort-- we only fix things we care about. If an item of little consequence to us breaks-- say a sock gets a hole in it-- we're more likely to throw it out than to mend it. But if a child's favorite toy breaks, they don't want a new one, they want the old one fixed.

The fact that God is willing to fix us rather than just write us off as lost causes is more proof to me that He truly cares about us. He won't give up on us-- He'll work with us for all of our lives until we are the people He wants us to be.

It's not always fun, but knowing that God is always there with me, loving me, and helping me to be a better person (even when I make really dumb mistakes) is a great comfort to me.

Damned Nonsense

I'm using the term in the title in the same way C.S. Lewis did, which is to say, literally; not in vain.

Some time ago, I started watching the TV series "Supernatural." Some time later, I stopped. I was just thinking about one of the things that was wrong with the show, and it still makes me feel angry: the idea that it is somehow noble to trade one's soul to Satan for the life of another person.

And while I don't think there's a rash of people going around literally trading their souls to save the lives of their loved ones, I think many people have come to see the soul as less important than it really is. Some just don't care about it; some think it doesn't exist; some think it merely consists of your personality.

But your soul is the most important part of you; the part that is immortal. C.S. Lewis (I love his writing, can you tell?) suggests that in God's eyes, the fate of one soul is more important than the fate of an entire society, since societies eventually crumble, but the soul lasts forever.

I think this devaluing of the soul is a lie from Satan. He's like a con-man, trying to talk us out of a valuable possession-- "Just toss it aside, you don't need that old thing; what has it done for you lately?"

In the example from Supernatural, this coaxing is even couched in terms of a virtue-- unselfishness. But it's not unselfish to give up one's soul for anything; it's just stupid. It's like cutting off your legs so the neighbor kid can get an ice cream cone.

Our souls are precious. Jesus died for them. We need to be sure to treat them accordingly.

Just... wow...

I hope this isn't too disjointed. I'm still feeling a little overwhelmed.

I was thinking this morning about the sacrifice Jesus made for us-- his death on the cross to bring us salvation. And more specifically, I thought about how he cried out asking why God had forsaken him (I heard an explanation of this forsaking being that in that moment, Jesus took on all the sin of the world, and God, being holy couldn't even look at His Son).

It just shook me to my core to think about calling out to God for anything: for help, in thanks, to praise him and knowing he wasn't listening.

I don't have a perfect relationship with God. I do things I shouldn't and don't do things I should. I don't pray as often as I could. So my closeness to God isn't what Jesus' was, being God's perfect Son. Still, I can't even find the words to describe the torment I would be in if God turned his back on me.

And yet, Jesus went through it, all of it, for me-- the physical tortures of the cross, and God turning away from him.

What a gift!

God's Supply Closet

I was listening to Avalon's "You Were There" a few days ago, and a couple lines really jumped out at me. Well, they always jump out at me, but this is the first time I've had a blog to write about them:

"You were the strength in David's sling/You were the calm in Abraham"

These lines always remind me that if God asks us to do something, He's also willing to give us whatever we need to do that something. That is, if we're willing to rely on him.

I believe that if we tell God: "No thanks, I can do it on my own," He's not going to force us to take what he has to offer. But if we ask God for help, then he will give us whatever we need to do what he has asked of us.

And when it comes down to it, there isn't much, if there is even anything, that He asks of us that we can do without His help. I know there are times I can't even pray properly without asking Him to help me pray-- to Him.

It's kind of depressing at first, to think that I can do so little on my own, but the more I think about it, the more I realize how comforting it is to be able to depend completely on God.

If God asks me to do something, like, oh, say... start a blog about Him... I have two options:

First, I can go to my own "Supply Closet" of talents, qualities, skills. Once there, I might find that I have enough writing ability to make it happen, but I'm low on faith and wisdom, and I'm really scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to courage.

Or, I can ask God for help; ask him to open His own "Supply Closet" to me, and find an infinite amount of everything I need and more. He gives it freely and abundantly, and I can do so much more with Him than without.

Taking God for Granted

It happens to all of us. It's human nature. We adapt to new things and new situations so that what was once new and shiny seems old and boring.

Sometimes this even happens with the message of God's Salvation. Or at least, it does to me. Maybe this isn't particularly a weakness for you.

I just know that in my case, sometimes after hearing so many times about Christ's death on the cross, I become a little blasé about the whole thing: "Yeah, yeah, died for our sins, rose on the third day... Can I go play video games now?"

I feel ashamed when I realize it's happened-- again, but fortunately, God forgives my apathy.

And what's more, He provides ways for us to stave it off or snap out of it. Holidays like Christmas and Easter, and rituals like Communion call us to sit for at least a few moments, and consider the mercy and love that He has shown to us.

For me, music is a powerful force in this as well. So many times, I've been astounded by God's truth in the words of a song.

As well, when I look at nature and "consider all the worlds [His] hands have made," I'm overwhelmed by how great God is to have made all of it.

What sort of things remind you of God's greatness?

Beautiful Bride

I find a lot of inspiration in music, and lately I'm really enjoying and thinking about "Beautiful Bride" by Flyleaf. It's a song about how all Christians are part of the body of Christ; how we're the bride of Christ.

The first line stands out to me: "Unified diversity." While I believe there are certain things all Christians are called upon to do, God doesn't want us to be carbon copies of each other. We all have our strengths and weaknesses; we all are different; we all live differently. And I think that's something to be celebrated.

But even in all of that, we're supposed to be unified; not to stand alone as our individual selves, but to work together; to fill in each other's gaps. Like, well, like a body.

And with everything working as it should, it means not being alone in times of trouble-- from the song: "If one part's hurt, the whole body's sick/If one part mourns, we all mourn with him."

I think it's a beautiful image-- a diverse group of people using their individual strengths to work together doing God's work and offering help and comfort to each other.