Friday, April 29, 2011

Amazing Love



My husband and I watched the third Narnia movie last week. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I am so grateful those books were made into movies. Regardless of what you think of C.S. Lewis' theology, he's a great storyteller. (If you'd like to learn more about his theology, you can check out my husband's posts on Wes White's blog. The blog is www.weswhite.net. Brian's posts are here, here, and here.)

There was something in the movie that changed me. One of those paradigm shifts that God gives. One that is slippery and vague, but one that leaves me holding on for dear life. It's hard to explain, so forgive my, uh, rambling.

The two youngest children arrive in Narnia with their cousin in tow. He clearly does not belong. The siblings do. They are in a place that is not their earthly home. They are one of many types of creatures that live there. But they are different. They are royalty. They are accepted. Completely. Without question. Without merit. They are accepted because they are who they are by the One who defines them. With this acceptance comes responsibility. They don't earn their place in this world. They are already of this world. But they are not called to sit. They are called to Great Obedience. Great Adventure. Great Cost. Great Reward.

Have you ever been completely accepted? By anyone? Honestly, that's an impossible concept to grasp for me. As task-oriented, goal driven as I am, I can't even accept myself completely. The complete acceptance of someone else? Shamefully laughable.

The movie gives me an illustration of something I think we all breathlessly hope for. Something we would eagerly die for. Something that is completely foreign in this world. Absolute acceptance of who we are. Definition of absolute: a. Not limited by restrictions or exceptions; unconditional.

I get emotional thinking about it. I want to bask in it. I want to live in it for awhile. I want to know the realness of it. On a long term basis. But the truth is, if I look to anyone other than God for that knowledge, I will never feel that perfect acceptance. Nor will I be able to give it. Not even a little.

The second part of this post is the Obedience that is requested because we are Accepted. It might take me awhile...

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