Fireballs from his eyes...bolts of lightning from his arse
I know I am in the right church when a sermon point is driven home by a clip from Braveheart (and no, it's not the quote above). I wanted to jot this down and get it out before I forget- I have been compiling a list of thoughts to share but this one couldn't wait. The point that stood out to me was regarding our purpose and our responsibilities in this world- that when the powers that we war against have us down, or we are discouraged, or we feel hopeless, that God is Bigger. We have the full armor of God to shield us, to lead us and to help us. When we feel surrounded, if we look to the hills we will see fiery chariots and horses there to help us (2 Kings 6). This made me think of Aragorn leading the dead army into Minas Tirith, but I digress. You LOTR fans will appreciate it.
We can see the fiery army, or we can remain blinded and retreat. I know it has been too long since I showed more than my backside to the God challenges before me. Glen then showed the Braveheart clip that grabbed my attention as it never had. The Scots have just come from a victory over the English, and the Scottish lords are bickering over land, titles and boundaries. Wallace and his crew begin to leave- when asked where to, he states that they may have won, but the English will come back. He plans to make a bold stroke and invade England first.
William: I will invade England and defeat the English on their own ground.
Craig: Invade? That's impossible.
William: Why? Why is that impossible? You're so concerned with squabbling for the scraps from Longshank's table that you've missed your God given right to something better. There is a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it.
Craig: Invade? That's impossible.
William: Why? Why is that impossible? You're so concerned with squabbling for the scraps from Longshank's table that you've missed your God given right to something better. There is a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it.
It struck me that "we" are the Scottish lords- all too busy fighting for the scraps from this world that are irrelevant- bigger houses, cars, jobs, more more more (one site misquoted the above with posession, not position). We have a God given right to something better and more eternally significant. We have been given the knowledge and power to change the world. We have been given the means to provide the knowledge of that freedom to the world. Jesus told us to Go- to go make sure that his children have the freedom He provides for them, and desires for them. And we have to take the battle into enemy territory. Now, the big question- what does that mean for us?
Preach it, brother!!
"Every man dies; not every man really lives."
"Like Moses through the Red Sea."
"You have bled with William Wallace, now bleed with me!"
"I've come to claim the right of a husband."
"I'm come to fetch you to a meet'in."
"Playing outlawed tunes on outlawed pipes."
"forgot about the rocks"
"I can fight." "I know you can fight, but it's our wits that makes us men."
"Will you fight?
No, we will run... and we will live.
Aye, run... and you will live... at least for now. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you trade all those day--this one til that--for one chance--just one chance--to stand before you enemies and say 'you may take our lands, you may take our children, but you will never take OUR FREEDOM!!!!'"
There's a definite lack of Braveheart-watching with my brother and "that is something we shall have to remedy"... espcially before I go back to China!