Wayfaring Stranger

Just Thinking

I am a devoted Lord of the Rings fan and spent parts of three days over the holiday watching the extended versions of all three movies. I got The Return of the King for Christmas and I just wasn't going to watch it until I had reviewed the other two installments. What a wonderful way to spend time! Peter Jackson has just made something that will last for many many years. And when it was over I was surprised to find the tears running down my face once again. There is just something about spending that much time with these characters and being drawn into their predicaments and their relationships that pulls me deep into the story. And I cry when Frodo says goodbye to Sam and they hug each other like the brothers they have become. And for a time afterward I have a deep sadness - a feeling of loss. I feel like I've left someone for whom I care a great deal.

I was particularly taken this time around with how seeing into the future affected the different characters. The Elves, Elrond and Galadriel, look and see only doom, defeat and darkness. Sauraman the wizard looks into the future and his mind bcomes twisted by the evil Sauron. Even Gandalf sees darkness in the future and feels despair. The one person who doesn't let the vision of the future change his vision is Aragorn. He sees a vision that would cut the heart out of him if he let it. He hears the evil voice of Sauron as he faces the black gates at the end telling him all is futile, all is lost. Everyone with him believes what they hear and their hearts fail. It is Aragorn who charges and cuts the head off of the messenger then turns and declares it all lies. He delivers the moving speech about having courage and that this is the time to be strong and fight. He is the one who charges first into the surrounding forces of evil. He gives the people hope in what seems to be a completely hopeless situation and they follow him. He is truly king material!

Isn't this just what Jesus did for us? He came into our world like anyone else. Then one day he stepped out and began untwisting Satan's lies. He touched people's hearts and bodies and souls healing them. He spoke truth into a world that had been filled with lies. He unburdened people weighed down by religious laws and regulations. He gave those people hope. He showed them the grace of God. He showed them God the father. He still is showing us God the father.

Like Sauron, Satan moves in our lives and in our thoughts to create visions of doom, defeat and darkness. He twists the thoughts of normal people and creates monstrous evil through them. Strong leaders of churches often see only darkness and feel despair. He takes truth and twists it to create doubt and fear within our hearts, just like Sauron did with Frodo's vest. He starts with what we know to be true and then begins to knead and twist it until it has a totally different shape all together. He destroys hope.

I find it interesting that in the movies, Sauron never has a body. It's just this pulsating firey eye that roams from side to side and burns into people's minds and hearts. Aragorn walks in and speaks truth that saves into those minds and hearts . Isn't it interesting that Satan has never been "seen" by anyone on this earth, yet he can steal our hope, peace, and our very souls. God himself chose to come down and become one of us so we could know him personally and feel his love for us. He visibly walked among us, touched us, spoke to us. He gives us peace, joy, healing, love and saves our souls. I don't need to see into the future because God came into my past and guaranteed the future for me. I'm looking forward to the day when we see Satan topple down, utterly destroyed and ineffective.

posted by Dana @ 12:24 PM