War
A few nights ago, I stopped by to drop something off for my friend with an almost-broken toe, and stayed to watch a movie with some friends called “Sahara.” Maybe you’ve seen it. I won’t tell you what it was about exactly, but there was a significant amount of shooting involved, thankfully lightened with random jokes by Steve Zahn’s character. At the climax of the movie, when it really looks like they’re done for (but you know they’re not, because it’s a movie, and if they want to make money, they have to make the good guys win), they’re hiding out in the hulk of a Civil War ship out in the middle of the desert (don’t ask). Bullets are raining down on them from helicopters and other military vehicles, and they’re desperately trying to load a 150 year-old canon, their only hope of a weapon. Their first attempt failed, Steve Zahn wins our sympathy through another bullet-shower: “I’m so tired of being shot at!”
The line in the movie is pretty funny, but it kept going through my mind today in a more serious tone. Losing a student missionary in Yap, I am reminded very clearly that we are in a war. Sometimes we don’t see it; we’re able to sort of drown it out with the blessings of life (and we need those times!). But sometimes, the battle gets thick, the bullets are flying, and we just get tired of being shot at. It doesn’t seem fair, our hope seems slim, we’re exhausted from the fight…and yet, like any good movie, we know we’re going to win in the end. Tragedies will happen, we will get tired, but we will win. God’s cannon
ball will crush the head of that snake once and for all, and the shooting will stop.
Until then, may God give us the love to keep fighting.
"They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers." Rev. 17:14
The line in the movie is pretty funny, but it kept going through my mind today in a more serious tone. Losing a student missionary in Yap, I am reminded very clearly that we are in a war. Sometimes we don’t see it; we’re able to sort of drown it out with the blessings of life (and we need those times!). But sometimes, the battle gets thick, the bullets are flying, and we just get tired of being shot at. It doesn’t seem fair, our hope seems slim, we’re exhausted from the fight…and yet, like any good movie, we know we’re going to win in the end. Tragedies will happen, we will get tired, but we will win. God’s cannon
ball will crush the head of that snake once and for all, and the shooting will stop.Until then, may God give us the love to keep fighting.
"They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers." Rev. 17:14
Thanks, Andrea. I can't wait for this war to be over.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I saw the end of that crazy movie once, if only life were that silly.
ReplyDeletethere's an old chirstian song that says "i've read the back of the book and we win." it's so true. being aware of this war helps us understand and interpret at lot of things that we see happening around us and to us. When Elen White describes her vision of the narrow path, the second coming, and heaven, she says that once we are there we will look back and try to think about the hardest times we faced on earth and we will barely be able to remember them, because heaven is so great, and i believe the phrase is "heaven is cheap enough." the war is almost over, and remaining faithful is totally worth it. it is like you said we know the ending :)
ReplyDeletea truer statement couldn't be said.
ReplyDelete