As I have mentioned in other places, I find that films are often present day parables revealing the presence of God in different ways. Last night I was watching the film Reign Over Me starring Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler. It's a film about a character played by Adam Sandler whose family was killed in one of the planes that flew into the Twin Towers on 9/11 and how a number of years later his old college roommate (played by Don Cheadle) bumped into him and how both of them trying to find their way in life somehow helped each other find a way to finding their way in life.
Afterwards as I reflected on this I realized that we are all trying to find our way in life. In the midst of the brokenness and difficulties in life mixed in with the joys - life is all about finding our way. And for most of us - finding our way in life takes us down many roads that lead no where.
There is a scene in the film where Adam Sandler appears in court to decide whether he ought to be institutionalized because it seems to his in-laws (who are also grieving the loss of their daughter and their grandkids) that he has lost touch with reality - not wanting to remember his family because the memories bring back so much pain. But the judge remarks that "it seems that he needs to find his way" and he asks for the in-laws to give him time to find his way.
We all have lives that are filled with stories of our trying to find our way. That seems to be the story of human experience. All of us are searching for a way that somehow puts our life together, gives us some meaning or direction. Some of us fill our lives with distractions hoping to busy ourselves with things or activities that keep ourselves occupied so that we don't go crazy trying to find our ways.
I discover that so many of us are lost in so many different ways. People lose their way in life, but so do families, communities, nations, and even the world. We are all trying to find our way - and it seems we don't have a whole lot of success in doing it - though some of us look like we have it together better than most.
And then I think about the story of Jesus - God coming to be with us, making his dwelling with us, walking among us. And in the midst of all of our trying to find our way in life, he comes saying that he is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). I believe that Jesus comes alongside each of our lives weaving his life into ours - not forcing himself upon us - but trying to connect with us to show us the way. Too many of us are distracted by the noise of life to notice his connecting with us, but some who get the point of being distraught by coming up with another dead end are somehow able to see that walking with him leads to a way that leads to life.
Jesus, then is not about stuff to believe, or even a religious figure - rather Jesus is God coming to us, loving us, and walking with us so that we might begin to find our way in life. Jesus is not about a lot of do's and don't's but about extending an invitation to us, inviting us to walk with him so that in him we begin to find our way in life. On another occassion Jesus talks to people and invites those who are weary and burdened to walk with him, to be yoked or connected with him because he is able to bring rest into our lives (Matthew 11: 28-29).
I am discovering that the Life Story that Jesus brings is the Story that takes hold of all my stories of my trying to find my way in life and leads me to find my way in the midst of brokenness, in the midst of joy and laughter, in the midst of all that is life.
Walking with Jesus is about finding a way in life that is filled with life. I guess that is how I want to live out the rest of my life - and perhaps in my walking with Jesus, I might help someone else find their way as well.
Peace,
Roland
Afterwards as I reflected on this I realized that we are all trying to find our way in life. In the midst of the brokenness and difficulties in life mixed in with the joys - life is all about finding our way. And for most of us - finding our way in life takes us down many roads that lead no where.
There is a scene in the film where Adam Sandler appears in court to decide whether he ought to be institutionalized because it seems to his in-laws (who are also grieving the loss of their daughter and their grandkids) that he has lost touch with reality - not wanting to remember his family because the memories bring back so much pain. But the judge remarks that "it seems that he needs to find his way" and he asks for the in-laws to give him time to find his way.
We all have lives that are filled with stories of our trying to find our way. That seems to be the story of human experience. All of us are searching for a way that somehow puts our life together, gives us some meaning or direction. Some of us fill our lives with distractions hoping to busy ourselves with things or activities that keep ourselves occupied so that we don't go crazy trying to find our ways.
I discover that so many of us are lost in so many different ways. People lose their way in life, but so do families, communities, nations, and even the world. We are all trying to find our way - and it seems we don't have a whole lot of success in doing it - though some of us look like we have it together better than most.
And then I think about the story of Jesus - God coming to be with us, making his dwelling with us, walking among us. And in the midst of all of our trying to find our way in life, he comes saying that he is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). I believe that Jesus comes alongside each of our lives weaving his life into ours - not forcing himself upon us - but trying to connect with us to show us the way. Too many of us are distracted by the noise of life to notice his connecting with us, but some who get the point of being distraught by coming up with another dead end are somehow able to see that walking with him leads to a way that leads to life.
Jesus, then is not about stuff to believe, or even a religious figure - rather Jesus is God coming to us, loving us, and walking with us so that we might begin to find our way in life. Jesus is not about a lot of do's and don't's but about extending an invitation to us, inviting us to walk with him so that in him we begin to find our way in life. On another occassion Jesus talks to people and invites those who are weary and burdened to walk with him, to be yoked or connected with him because he is able to bring rest into our lives (Matthew 11: 28-29).
I am discovering that the Life Story that Jesus brings is the Story that takes hold of all my stories of my trying to find my way in life and leads me to find my way in the midst of brokenness, in the midst of joy and laughter, in the midst of all that is life.
Walking with Jesus is about finding a way in life that is filled with life. I guess that is how I want to live out the rest of my life - and perhaps in my walking with Jesus, I might help someone else find their way as well.
Peace,
Roland
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment