At the start of The Horse and His Boy, we are introduced to Shasta who comes from the lands far south of Narnia. His father is cruel to him, and he doesn't really connect with anyone in the fishermen's village he lives in. Because of all this, it is understandable that Shasta wonders what is beyond his home in the North. There is a sense of wanderlust he has. One might even say that he is a stranger in his own land. There are times for all of us when we don't feel we fit in. We might even feel strangers in the very group we believe we should belong to. Fortunately, Scripture speaks a great deal about this feeling. There are Psalms, such as Psalm 130, that show the deep longing we have for the Lord, even out of the depths. We see the desire for a new land in the Israelites throughout the Tanakh (or Old Testament), especially in the journey out of Egypt in Torah and the desire to return after the Israelites were exiled by the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires. For us, this feeling of not fitting in is often a sign that we are searching more deeply for the Lord. It may be where we are right now is not helping us connect to God well. Whatever the reason, it can leave us as disconnected as Shasta. Fortunately Shasta finds Bree, the talking horse from Narnia who is the first to extend him kindness in his life. Sometimes it is finding someone similar at the right moments in our lives that can help us see God again. A final note: it is a seeming coincidence that the horse happens to be from Narnia who Shasta talks with before his "father" (who he learns is not his actual biological father) tries to sell him to a stranger. Whether you're reading The Horse and His Boy for the first time or the hundredth, keep an eye out for these sorts of coincidences as we continue on our journey with Bree and Shasta making their way north to Narnia.
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Please note, Sky: Children of the Light is rated 9+. There's a Giant Manatee that shows up at various points in gameplay in Sky: Children of the Light:
I've often wondered what this Giant Manatee is actually supposed to be. In many ways, I feel like it is stand-in for God in the game. You always see it in the most dangerous areas in the game, and it helps you make it through after you've given all your light and ascend at the end of the storyline for the game. Psalm 23:4 tells us that even in "the valley of the shadow of death" that God is with us, comforting and protecting us even. The Manatee in Sky seems to me like a reminder of that presence. It is comforting to realize that even in the worst moments of our life, God is there with us. It is even better to have reminders of this fact in the most surprising, and perhaps unexpected, of places. Please note, Sky: Children of the Light is rated 9+ In many games, it is easy to get focused on the collecting, particularly when it is how to 100% complete the game. With candles and hearts to collect in order gain expressions and cosmetics to use in game, Sky is hardly immune to this issue. I clearly love Sky. Not only is the game beautiful, but its story connects so well with the Gospel of our Faith. However, at times, I find myself becoming less focused on these elements and more focused on collecting things. Recently, Sky released a new season in the game in conjunction with The Little Prince. Not only is the Little Prince a character you can now meet in Sky, but other characters make an appearance as well. The new area for The Little Prince is gorgeous, especially with Sky's recent release on the Switch. The first mission you have is playing hide-and-seek with the Little Prince and star-gazing. These might seem like little things, but they made me realize that I was no longer playing the game for the reasons I love it for. It felt like Sky was using the Little Prince to help me realize that sometimes we need to just stop and wonder. In the Baptism service for The Episcopal Church, there is a prayer at the end of the actual baptizing. It asks that we have the "gift of joy and wonder" in all God's works. This prayer is based on Isaiah 11:2. "The gift of joy and wonder" translates the word often rendered as "fear of the Lord". That word also means "awe" or "respect", which is where "joy and wonder" comes in. "Joy and wonder" are reminders that respect for the Lord means marveling in the life we have been given too. Sometimes we forget to do that, but if we keep our eyes open, we can catch those things God wants us to see that remind us to have joy and wonder in all God's works. Please note that the shows mentioned here are rated TV-14. In The Flash Season 3, Barry Allen, the Flash, went back in time to try and save his mother from dying. The result was an alternate reality came into being that needed to be fixed. Unfortunately Barry couldn't fix everything well enough, and Cisco Ramon's estranged brother died in the reconfiguring of the past as a result.
Eventually Barry has to tell his friends what happened. Cisco is, very understandably, extremely upset at the result of Barry's selfish actions. Their relationship is strained as a result. As often happens in the Arrowverse, personal issues are pushed aside to deal with crises. In this case, an alien invasion threatens Earth. To help deal with the invasion, Cisco is sent with other heroes to join the Legends of Tomorrow as they travel to the past to see what they can do to fix the problems they are dealing with in the present. Unfortunately their actions in the past lead to very invasion they are facing in the present. Cisco realizes he has done the exact thing he was upset with Barry for, and he starts on the path of forgiveness. Cisco's actions don't make Barry's better. What they show is that we are all prone to the same mistakes and sins as each other. In the Tanakh (also known as the Old Testament), we see many examples of sin and foolishness, primarily from the Israelites and more particularly in their wandering in the desert. It is easy to look at their actions and say "how could they be so foolish?" As I've grown older, though, I've noticed a lot of these actions I judged the Israelites for doing are the very same things I have done too. That doesn't make what the Israelites did better. It means that we should be less judgmental and look at their actions as a warning to us and a call to be better. That is the same lesson Cisco learned from his own time travel adventures. Again, it does not justify Barry, but it does help Cisco to see that he too is susceptible to the same flaws as Barry. Thank goodness for them both that this adventure leads them to restore their relationship as well. Please note, Star Wars: A New Hope is rated PG. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, God tells Paul that Power is made perfect in weakness. Nowhere is that more true within Star Wars then in Obi-Wan's sacrifice in A New Hope. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker were sent on a quest by Leia Organa to help save the Rebellion from the threat of the Death Star. After rescuing Leia, Luke and the others are ready to get out. Before this, Obi-Wan runs into his former padawan, Darth Vader, and the two begin dueling. Darth Vader brags about how much more powerful the Dark Side of the Force has made him. Obi-Wan quips that he is "only a master of evil." During their duel, Obi-Wan tells Darth Vader: If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. As the duel progresses, Obi-Wan sees that Luke and his friends are safe. At that point, he lifts his lightsaber, letting Darth Vader strike the finishing blow and allowing Luke and the others to escape the Death Star. Discerning eyes will notice that Obi-Wan vanishes before Darth Vader lands the blow. From this point on, Obi-Wan becomes one with the Force, appearing to Luke and helping him with knowledge and advice throughout the rest of the original Star Wars Trilogy. From Darth Vader's eyes, it looked like Obi-Wan was weak and easily defeated. In truth, Obi-Wan did become more powerful, providing a valuable resource that led to the eventual destruction of the Galactic Empire. Obi-Wan's sacrifice also allowed Luke and his friends to live. That is the same sort of sacrifice that Jesus made for us. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:10: Whenever I am weak, then I am strong. We are called look to real power, like God's, and not what seems like power, such as the Dark Side. God's power may seem like weakness at first, but it is the ability to bring about lasting and real change for the better in ourselves and in the world. |
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The Rev. Trey KennedyHere is my take on how Superheroes and other characters can help us know God better. Categories
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