A lot of you know the "problems" I had with The Passion... first of all, it terrified me, but there was some other stuff that just didn't sit right. Annnnnyway, tonight I was reading about Jesus and I felt like I just HAD to watch the particular incident in action (I've been watching clips of Zeferelli's J of N, the happy gospel of Matthew, the gospel of John [which may be my favourite] etc. before bed some nights). So... long story short, I end up at a bunch of music videos for The Passion... and my world has officially been rocked! WOW. The stuff that originally disturbed me wasn't included in any of the videos I watched, which helped, and without the amazingly effective score in the background (which I of all people appreciate - but it was almost TOO powerful and added to how much the darker parts scared me!), these images were completely different to me this round. (And that's an interesting side note... what AMAZING POWER music has! Wow. It's something to wield carefully! And also, boldly!)
So yeah. In my face! Maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh about the movie... or maybe I should have been, but... it's not so black and white. I don't actually know. But wow.
How AWESOME is this salvation? How AWESOME is HE?!?! And He's coming BACK. This is so incredible. HE IS SO INCREDIBLE. I want to know Him better!!!!!!! The Faithful Witness - the Firstborn from the dead - the Radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being - the sacrificial Lamb named Salvation offered by God Himself - the RETURNING King! I could go on and on. Who IS He?!?!?! (and then, in light of that, who are we?!)
There is so much about Him that is completely mysterious to me, but I find myself HOPELESSLY attracted to Him like nothing I've experienced before. Everything about Him is perfect - whole - right. Dan and I were talking the other day about how the Law and the Prophets speak about Him - how we can't possibly ignore what has been named "the old testament" if we actually want to know Jesus and understand what He's done for us and why, and who He is! I've been searching out the Torah once again to re-solidify that stuff specifically - where is the prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus? Yes, we all know Isaiah 53, the Abraham/Isaac incident and the first Passover. But where else? He's EVERYWHERE - seek Him out - He IS the Word! I was so impacted last week reading about when Jesus totally calls the Pharisees on how they've put their hope in the Scriptures and Moses - but Moses will be their judge because he wrote about Jesus (and he says, "yet you refuse to come to me and have life")! How many of you, if you were put on the spot right now, could tell me all about how Moses has written about Jesus? I don't know, maybe you all can (I know Laura can!). LET'S SEARCH IT OUT, right?
God, renew our wonder about you and what you've done - rekindle our hearts - reopen our eyes so we can see you! Bring deeper revelation about your Son - the good news of salvation and the Kingdom!
I'm trying desperately to get work done. But nothing about my regular life seems regular right now! It just doesn't mean anything compared to knowing Him! God, give me grace to do THEORY!
2 comments:
when i was a very little girl, i used to look up at the stars outside my window at night and feel like my heart was going to burst from my chest because i felt so...connnected. i fell in love with jesus before i had any idea who he was...it's so fun to fall in love with the beautiful one over and over and over and over and over...
simeon and anna are my favourite christmas story characters. they knew jesus was coming because they knew him so well it was impossible that they not recognize him.
that's what i want
thanks for the encouragement, bek!! :) xxoo
that's what i want, too!
and yes - it really is over and over and over and over, isn't it? you never quite "arrive" or plateau (hopefully not, at least!).
when jesus talks about the love of MOST growing cold, and how people will be thinking they recognize him all over the place when it's not actually him... that makes me REALLY want to be rooted and grounded in his love and always "full of oil" and USED to hearing his voice so i'll always recognize it. i don't want to take those words lightly, thinking, "well of COURSE that won't be ME!" most means most. we can't avoid it by striving, though - only by making sure we're continually in a true, functioning relationship with him!
you know, it's so funny that in our particular "brand" of christianity, a common expression is "it's not a religion, it's a relationship". but how many who say that TRULY HAVE a FUNCTIONING relationship with him like they'd have with a lover, or a best friend, or a father, or a brother, or a mentor?
that's it for now... this might as well be a full-on post.
love you!
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