Last night I couldn’t sleep so I turned TV to the Hallmark Channel. At first I caught the last 30 minutes of a movie I hadn’t seen before, then I went to another Hallmark Channel and caught the last half of a movie I hadn’t seen. I love Hallmark movies – they are predictable and they make me feel good. The perfect thing to watch as you are trying to fall to sleep.
Let’s evaluate most every Hallmark movie. You have a female lead character who is generally faced with some dilemma. She is most generally a commoner; seamstress, waitress, office worker, teacher, widow, etc. Then you have the male lead; quite often he is wealthy and has social acclaim; king, prince, business mogul, doctor, military hero. And finally there is the villain; parent, business adviser, other woman, jealous boyfriend, who is trying to keep the male and female lead characters apart.
The story proceeds with the plot undermining the relationship between the two characters but in the end true love prevails!
Simplistic, predictable but heartwarming and sweet!
We have a saying around our house when someone asks “why in the world did they do that” and the answer is “it’s in the script”. However, daily life isn’t scripted – the situation we face are learned dialogue. Yet the underlining premise is the same.
We have the commoner and the king. Someone is always trying to undermine the relationship between the two but if you fall the storyline long enough you will find that love never fails and good triumphs over evil.
Yes, that’s the way it is in our relationship with the Lord. We are the commoners and Jesus is the King of Kings. The stresses, evil and dependence on self in this world try to keep us separated from the King. People around us and the voices in our own heads tell us that we aren’t good enough or just the opposite, that we don’t need God, that religion is just a crutch.
God isn’t a crutch, far from it. He is the source of love and the abundance of life. When we enter into relationship with Him he takes us from our common life and elevates us to a place of honor and esteem. He invites us all to come to Him and find rest; to an abundant life.
“If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 CEV
“20 Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” Revelation 3:20 CEV
“A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.” John 10:10 CEV
Time and time again I focus on God’s amazing love but only because it’s the heart of our story. Christ freely laid down His life for us, He loves us that much.
“Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. 13 The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.” John 15:12-13 CEV
“We know what love is because Jesus gave his life for us. That’s why we must give our lives for each other.” I John 3:16 CEV
You see our relationship with the Lord is a lot like a Hallmark movie only better! And when you read the Bible you find out what this amazing new life is all about.
It truly is “in the script”!