Last Friday, I did not go to SWYF meeting because I was attending my company's departmental outing, and after the buffet dinner, I was dead tired and went back to sleep. That night, A conducted the sharing, and followed by what B called - the "fifth wave" (read the first 3 waves here, and the 4th here). I missed all these, but regained part of it on Saturday, the day I watched Narnia.
A's sharing was focused on the scripture verse 2 Chronicles 7:14, which sounded like this: "[Yahweh said to Solomon] If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." This, according to A, shall be our response to God's past anointing in SWYF - that we shall be humble, pray to Him, seek God's face, and repent. With that, we shall inherit the promise of God.
I watched Narnia the next day - it was a good movie. I could see that Lucy Pevensie was earnestly and humbly searching for Aslan and seek help and refuge in him - and that is why Aslan appeared only to her and not the rest, not even her own elder siblings. This is how God would appear to us - that if we earnestly search for Him, He is always there. As famously preached by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you." (Matthew 7:7)
Later that night, I met with Ling who has just returned from Melbourne, together with A and B. There A told me of 2 Chronicles 7:14 that he shared. When he was finished, I said, hey, I skipped Shalom meeting and yet the next day I was getting the same message from God through Narnia!! Praise God!
In the beginning of the movie, Lucy was able to see Aslan, but not the rest. Lucy was humble and earnest to seek Aslan's face again, and that is why Aslan appeared only to her. What about the rest? Lucy pointed out a possibility to Peter, saying that maybe Peter did not really want to seek Aslan. Also, Lucy always hoped and prayed that Aslan would be with them. She even dreamt of Aslan!! How could we be as humble, prayerful, and earnest in seeking the face of God?
And at last - repentence, or turning away from wicked ways. Nikabrik misled Prince Caspian by saying that the Kings and Queens of old Narnia failed him, and then tempted him to call upon the evil power of the old - the White Witch! Caspian, and much later, Peter himself, nearly fell flat into this big temptation which would destroy not only Miraz, but also entrap Narnia once again. Edmund, having fallen to the White Witch's temptation in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and yet redeemed by Aslan, did not fall back to temptation, but turned away from the wicked. He stabbed at the White Witch trapped behind the ice wall and drove her back to underworld. How much courage will we humans have to avoid temptation and destroy evil for the sake of our love to God?
And, at last, Lucy rode all by herself, to seek Aslan's help. Her faith in Aslan was the only thing that she had. At last, Aslan appeared. By his roar, the powers of nature (trees and water) were summoned, and at last, evil was conquered. Peace in the land of Narnia was restored. Harmony between Narnians and Telmarines were developed. All because of Lucy's little faith in Aslan. How much do we rely on God - that if we are humble, pray, seek His face, and repent, God will hear us, and with the roar of the Lion of Judah, our sins forgiven, our land restored, our life be in peace and harmony?
God is good, before we even know Him. Now it is our response to his goodness and love.
Wiki source is here.
My review is here.
Movie database is here.
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