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I have seen a couple of blogs on here warning about The Golden Compass movie, so I did a little more research on it.
What I found was this article from about a year ago on ChristianityTodayMovies.com. It includes a quote by Phillip Pullman, the author of the books this movie is based on:
Pullman himself is shocked by how little reaction the books and upcoming films have received thus far. Talking with the Sydney Morning Herald, he confesses, "I've been surprised by how little criticism I've got. Harry Potter's been taking all the flak. I'm a great fan of J.K. Rowling, but the people—mainly from America's Bible Belt—who complain that Harry Potter promotes Satanism or witchcraft obviously haven't got enough in their lives. Meanwhile, I've been flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God." |
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"What's the Deal???!!!! And, God, why aren't you doing anything about it???!!!! Helllllooooo?????"
That's basically what Habakkuk asked God about the violent, destructive world around him. 1:1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received.
1:2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?
1:3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.
1:4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. Can you relate to how Habukkuk feels? I certainly can! His world (and ours today) was going to pot, and it looked like there was no justice or relief in sight! This is exactly how I feel when I read the newspaper.
I think there's this place inside of many of us that demands justice. Not such a bad thing since our God demands justice, too. Here's the rub:
We humans, with our tiny confused brains, want justice right now - not later - doggone it!! So, we can become easily discouraged when we look at the violent, broken down, depressed world around us!
Last week I felt this way....discouraged, overwhelmed, depressed....when my mama and I went to the Rescue Mission in downtown Roanoke to do a favor for someone.
On the sidewalk, outside the Mission, we passed a "broken" man in a wheelchair and a pitifully dressed woman walking along talking "out of her head."
I thought, "What are these people's stories? What has happened in their lives and hearts to bring them to this place? There's so many people like this just in this country alone.....how can this problem ever be solved? How can we ever break the cycle of abuse, hatred, addiction, etc.??!!"
It's hard to just walk past people like that and not care when I know that Jesus himself loved and ministered to the "unlovely" of this world. But it just gave me such an overwhelming, discouraging feeling.
It just doesn't seem fair that people who are born into a very "bad home" will most likely lead the same kind of destructive lifestyle. And it's just not fair that many who do evil get away with it!
Where's the justice???!!!!! Where's the relief???
So I could really relate to ol' Habukkuk when I read this passage in the Bible this afternoon. What I keep coming up with in my own little pea brain is this:
Okay, so I don't understand why God allows injustice to continue or why He allows bad things to happen, but that's okay. It boils down to..... Am I going to trust and love Him anyway?
Yes, because I know that what might not be accomplished on this earth in my time frame will be accomplished in the time frame of the One who knows what He's doing!
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Okay, I'm stuck on a "sky" theme! But honestly I just happened to read a great passage in Corrie ten Boom's book Don't Wrestle, Just Nestle! I just had to share it.
When you look at the clouds, contemplate Corrie's thoughts on the forgiveness of our sins:
"Did you ever see a cloud again, after it had disappeared? No, the cloud that appears afterward is a different one.
We do not honor God by asking forgiveness a second time for the same sin.
Say, 'God has beaten this thing. He had forgiven this sin and forgotten it. I can do the same in His strength.'
Remember that the victory has been won. Claim that victory as your own......There is far more victory within your reach than you have realized."
~Corrie ten Boom
44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Wow, what a Godincidence!!! I had no idea the ASV version of this verse uses "clouds" as the metaphor; the version Corrie quoted said "morning mist."
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I know many people feel this way....when they look at the sky, they can't help but think of the mighty Creator, God. I know I've always felt that way. I also feel that way when I'm sitting on the beach looking out at the ocean.
Because of a Creation Seminar (see this post) at our church this week, I looked up the word "creation" in one of my favorite books, The Quotable Lewis, to see what C.S. Lewis had to say about the subject. And I found this quote about the sky:
"It is not an accident that simple-minded people, however spiritual, should blend the ideas of God and Heaven and the blue sky.....
The huge dome of the sky is of all things sensuously perceived the most like infinity.
And when God made space and worlds that move in space, and clothed our world with air, and gave us such eyes and such imaginations as those we have, He knew what the sky would mean to us.
And since nothing in His work is accidental, if He knew, He intended.
We cannot be certain that this was not indeed one of the chief purposes for which Nature was created."
from C.S. Lewis' book, Miracles.
I just love that!! But then again, I just love C.S. Lewis and can't wait to meet him in heaven :)
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Many of you read my blog the other day about the ferret on the loose in my neighborhood, so I thought I would give you all an update.
I happened to be in a pet shop getting hamsters for my kids (yes, I have lost my mind, but they are cute!), and I mentioned the ferret. The employees there said most likely it was a weasel!!!!!!!! Too funny!!!! I would have never thought of that!!! I only think of a weasel as being in the nursery rhyme, "Pop Goes the Weasel!" Anyway, I think ferrets are in the same family.
The little guy seems to be doing well; my daughter and I saw him yesterday down the road by a creek. He looked like he was having a good ole time! I'm glad to know he's not anyone's lost pet. He's most likely a long tailed weasel.
I can't believe my husband didn't think of that. He seems to be able to identify every animal, insect, and tree! :)
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