You: The Movie

Our lives are being played out before us and before God each day, and if we want to live in a manner
that pleases Him, it is important that we follow His direction and allow Him to write His story through us. Hebrews 12 says:
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus has made the way for us to come into a saving knowledge of Himself, and He is the One who will do His work in and through us, until our lives on this earth end.  The final outcome is to be ushered into our heavenly home, where we will love and serve our Lord forever.  In the meantime, we surrender our thoughts and actions to His Lordship and seek to walk according to the ways He has prescribed for us.

+++++

In 1st Corinthians 15, we are reminded about the type of life that God would want us to lead:
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Following this year's epic College Football Playoff National Championship Game, there was a quote in the Montgomery Advertiser that got my attention.  It was from the quarterback who led Clemson to a 35-31 victory over Alabama, Deshaun Watson.  Here's the excerpt from the article:

“I talked to one of my coaches, and he said, ‘It’s a movie, and it’s going to end the right way. Just keep believing in God and believe in your teammates and everything will fall into place.’” Watson said after leading the No. 2 Tigers to a 35-31 upset over No. 1 Alabama. “And that’s what happened. We’re national champs, and it’s amazing.”

The quote reminded me of the plot of the movie, The Truman Show, which featured the main character, played by Jim Carrey, who was born and brought into an elaborate television set and his life was scripted, his interactions played out by actors.  He lived his life in the bubble of a fake town from which he was not able to leave.  And, there were viewers who wore buttons that said, "How's It Going To End?"

Well, our lives are not being played out on the screen or stage, and we are living in a reality here on this earth in which God has placed us.  Truman's "director" was a calloused man who was really a grand puppetmaster, but we serve a God who, while He is writing a script for our lives, is a loving God who has given us the capability to choose His ways, even to choosing to follow His Son, Jesus, through whom we have salvation - our choices are real, not contrived.

Now, people could debate the theology of Deshaun Watson's words, but I do believe the Clemson QB has given us some statements to think about when we consider our lives.  Here are just a few principles that do line up with Scripture.

First of all, we are to follow the director.  Clemson, in the end, had a play drawn up that would result in a touchdown as long as the Tigers executed.  Watson and his teammates had developed a confidence that it would "turn out the right way."  And, there was a spiritual component to those activities.  Our compassionate, all-wise director, who is also writing His story through our lives, will give us what we need in order to perform His will.

We also recognize that there is a script to follow.  The Lord desires to speak and act through us - He will give us our lines.  And, we have the overall principles that are laid out for us in His Word; as we apply that truth and act according to what we find, we can experience the life that He desires for us to live.

Also, one of the outcomes of the Christian experience is victory.   1st Corinthians 15 reminds us that we can experience the victory of Christ over the power of sin.  Our walking as overcomers testifies to the power and greatness of God inside us.

And, finally, when we look at the ultimate outcome of our lives, we can hope that we would be found faithful.  We may not see how it's going to end, but as we follow the director, act according to the Scripture, and seek to live in Christ's victory, we can see that the author and finisher of our faith has completed an award-winning work.  It's not fiction, it is reality, and we have a powerful companion Who will walk with us.