Daily Meditation: “New Life”
SCRIPTURE
When all the people heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus raised from the dead. Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus. - John 12:9-11
REFLECTION
As we enter the holiday season, it means my birthday is coming up which means, of course, I watch my beloved “Lord Of The Rings” trilogy. In the third film, as Aragorn (who’s going to be king if he can just win this un-winnable battle) goes to a mountain filled with an Army of The Dead he’s going to enlist to fight for him, he enters into their domain by looking this very black, very scary entry into the mountain right in the face and says, “I do not fear death.” And in he goes.
He’s so cool.
His lack of fear helped him to fulfill his purpose. I know from my own personal experience that it has always been my fears that have held me back. When I can overcome them, I become a more fully-rounded version of myself and discover I have a purpose too. Do you find it is the same for you?
In John, Lazarus has overcome death through Jesus and given the people new hope. They see in a tangible way that their own fears of death have no sway over them, and in doing so they began to desert the leading priests and follow Jesus. Of course, this led to poor Lazarus to die a second time at the hands of those leading priests.
But the point was made - when our fear of death is overcome, we truly begin to live. When we move through our valleys of fear and grief and find new mountaintops again, we come back to life. When we realize we have more within us than we thought and find a strength we didn’t know we had and rise above that which would seek to hold us back, we get closer to becoming who we’re meant to be.
Or, if I may, when we enlist the Army Of The Dead along with the armies of Gondor and Rohan, we vanquish the forces of Sauron and Mordor on the Pellinor Fields and become king of Middle Earth in order to usher in the Fourth Age of Peace.
I’m so ready to watch my movies…
PRAYER
Lord Of Life, may we find courage within ourselves such that we discover that even death does not frighten us and we might find new life again.
Amen.
Peace,
Shawn