Friday, April 10, 2009

Life through Death

I love the way that God works in contrasts, in paradoxes, in things that no one else would dream of using.

This weekend of course I'm referring to the concept of life through death.

One of my favorite scenes in Ted Dekker's Circle Trilogy is a scene in Red - the scene that made me like the entire series. The basic concept was that they dove into deep red water. At first they were in terrible, crushing pain, and they knew they were drowning.

And they drowned. And in doing so, they came alive. The pain was gone, and what remained was a beautiful freedom.

I read that scene and cried, because it wasn't just a story in a book. It was my story, and your story, and above all God's story.

It's so easy for us to wake up every morning oblivious to the beautiful story of love, of hope, of redemption, of beautiful brokenness that we are living in. I remember one day, years ago now, thinking about Boromir in Lord of the Rings (bear with me here, this is relevant). I remember thinking how it must have been for be Merry and Pippin, watching Boromir suffer in agony, pierced by arrows, and to then see him die, just so that they could live. I remember thinking it would be such an incredibly humbling, awe-inspiring thing to live on with the knowledge of that sacrifice.

Then suddenly I realized that I had lived through that. 

We are so stirred by stories of someone laying down their life for someone else - so many war movies use that concept. Maybe we are so moved by those stories because a part of us realizes, even subconsciously, that that is the story we are living in. 

I've never really been to an "Easter" service, like most churches hold on Easter Sunday. These past few days I've felt a little sad as I hear people talk about what their churches are doing. But I really don't think it matters that much, because in the end, what is all of that but a weak, pastel-colored echo of the deep, intense, beautiful, hopeful story of redemption - my redemption, through Christ?

I put together just a few thoughts on this.  This is not the kind of video I typically do, so I'm still learning this style, but hopefully it will encourage you or at least make you stop and think, if only for two minutes and four seconds.



God bless.  May His grace and His love be ever present on your mind this weekend.
- Elraen, the Wandering Star - 

5 comments:

Esteleth said...

AF (because that's what I know you as :p) I would like to thank you for writing such a beautiful blog and putting together such a beautiful video. My family is going through a rough patch right now, and it's even harder seeing as it's Easter. This was exactly what I needed to hear. Like you said, it is amazing how stories of sacrifice stirr our hearts so much...because they are reflections of the Most Beautiful True Story Ever.

Rae B said...

That was ah-mazing! I'm Awestruck! I love it completely that I'm going to link it on my blog [if you don't mind]

The verse Romans 8:38-39 went by a little fast there, but I loved it none the less! :D

~Books

Anonymous said...

Raen, this is Angel. :) That was...wow. It really touched me. Thank you so much for posting this!

miruialiel.eternalprincess said...

Raen, the video ministered to me more than you'll ever know. Thank you so much for taking your time to edit and make that video.

It's something a lot of people need to hear.

-Mir

Blire Daeriel said...

That was a beautiful video, Raen. Thank you. :)