in the center of His eye, the warmth of His heart
"That is so wrong! Is that what they've done? Venom is NOT Spiderman's darkside! Do you want to know the truth? Let me tell you the truth, of what really happened in the comic book series..."
I'm talking to Richard, a check-out clerk at HEB. He's about to tell me the story behind the story behind the story of the history of Spiderman. We talk for a good five minutes about Spiderman, which is important because I need to know just what I'm going to see later in the evening. I hope in our exchange I come across as caring and not just as some mom gleaning him for superhero knowledge.
I wanted to see Spiderman 3 so I could know how to pray for the youth of our nation. It's the Dwight Schrute in me rising up, who if, by the way, ever came to Jesus and more to the point - was a real person - would definitely be an intercessor. Don't get offended by that. I'm just saying...
My son Ben is really wanting to see this movie and there is just no way he is going to at age 6. I tell him, "Let me just tell you what it's about. There's a whole lot of kissing going on between Spiderman and Mary Jane. You don't want to see that." His response is a violent retort about girls which I'm not going to include here.
Ben will graduate from Kindergarten this month, which is an event we give great thanks to God over. He still needs work on focused attention in the classroom and some other things this summer. On his own, however, his focus is very clear and present. Our children's pastor comes over one evening and Ben spends 20 minutes telling John the history of his superheroes Dark Super and Thunder Code, and the story of how Evil Skies turned evil. Thunder Code has powers suspiciously similar to Spiderman's, yet is aquatic in nature. Hmm...
There are themes of forgiveness in Spiderman 3, which made my heart glad. I was thinking of how God created us all with the desire to be rescued and to rescue, for the need to love and to be loved. I see clearly in Ben the drive to be a rescuer and I see in Syd a child who knows how to turn to Jesus for comfort. Although I don't relate to superheroes like my boys do, I do relate to Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia, ever looking for the Lion to return. He is my best friend and I am comforted by His Spirit until He returns; I do want to heal in His name.
There is something in all of us that calls out and wants an answer. Something in our hearts that wants someone to come roaring through the sky and rescue us in our fall. That rescuer is Jesus, the Son of God whose mercy and compassion flow from his fingertips. He always answers when we call.
I was comforted by these words from Psalm 17 this morning, so I pray they comfort you as well. Know you are loved by the One who guards you as the center of His eye and protects you in the warmth of His heart, covered under His wings.
I will call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to hear me; hear my words.
Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,
from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
Psalm 17: 6-9 (esv)
I'm talking to Richard, a check-out clerk at HEB. He's about to tell me the story behind the story behind the story of the history of Spiderman. We talk for a good five minutes about Spiderman, which is important because I need to know just what I'm going to see later in the evening. I hope in our exchange I come across as caring and not just as some mom gleaning him for superhero knowledge.
I wanted to see Spiderman 3 so I could know how to pray for the youth of our nation. It's the Dwight Schrute in me rising up, who if, by the way, ever came to Jesus and more to the point - was a real person - would definitely be an intercessor. Don't get offended by that. I'm just saying...
My son Ben is really wanting to see this movie and there is just no way he is going to at age 6. I tell him, "Let me just tell you what it's about. There's a whole lot of kissing going on between Spiderman and Mary Jane. You don't want to see that." His response is a violent retort about girls which I'm not going to include here.
Ben will graduate from Kindergarten this month, which is an event we give great thanks to God over. He still needs work on focused attention in the classroom and some other things this summer. On his own, however, his focus is very clear and present. Our children's pastor comes over one evening and Ben spends 20 minutes telling John the history of his superheroes Dark Super and Thunder Code, and the story of how Evil Skies turned evil. Thunder Code has powers suspiciously similar to Spiderman's, yet is aquatic in nature. Hmm...
There are themes of forgiveness in Spiderman 3, which made my heart glad. I was thinking of how God created us all with the desire to be rescued and to rescue, for the need to love and to be loved. I see clearly in Ben the drive to be a rescuer and I see in Syd a child who knows how to turn to Jesus for comfort. Although I don't relate to superheroes like my boys do, I do relate to Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia, ever looking for the Lion to return. He is my best friend and I am comforted by His Spirit until He returns; I do want to heal in His name.
There is something in all of us that calls out and wants an answer. Something in our hearts that wants someone to come roaring through the sky and rescue us in our fall. That rescuer is Jesus, the Son of God whose mercy and compassion flow from his fingertips. He always answers when we call.
I was comforted by these words from Psalm 17 this morning, so I pray they comfort you as well. Know you are loved by the One who guards you as the center of His eye and protects you in the warmth of His heart, covered under His wings.
I will call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to hear me; hear my words.
Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,
from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
Psalm 17: 6-9 (esv)