A NEW WORLD

What a blast of a movie. I so enjoyed the closing chapter of Guardians of the Galaxy (GOTG 3). I laughed, I cried, I ooh-ed and ahh-ed away 2 1/2 hours of a week-day morning in an almost empty cinema on  a senior citizen discount ticket. There was a very handsome hero, a very evil bad-guy, lots of fast and furious action, plenty of weird (and lovable) characters. Right from the word "go" I was literally sucked into a fantasy world that's way-out boggling, with talking animals, walking trees, humanoid aliens with blue and green skin and all sorts of strange creatures.  And yet for all its hi-tech "sci-fi- ness," the over-arching themes are so humanly real. 

After all, who has never been disappointed in man or  in God? Who has never dreamt of a perfect world, a happy family ? Who has never suffered? Who has never questioned the very meaning of existence itself? GOTG 3 uses a life-threatening crisis to bring all these to the fore, as the motley team races to save a dying Rocket Raccoon , who keeps reminding everyone he isn't just a racoon. Which is true, since he's the most perfect handiwork of a mad-man who experiments with animals, humans, even children, to create the perfect society. But the "earth" he builds to counter the real earth is still an abject failure. He calls himself the High Evolutionary, claiming there is no God, so he steps in to play the role. That's still happening in our time; so temptingly easy for man to make himself god.  Reminds me also of the angel in heaven who rebelled and wanted to make himself like the Most High, whose name is Lucifer, or more commonly known as Satan, the devil. 

And talking about names, the most touching scene for me was 4 locked-up animals thinking up real names for themselves, instead of being identified as  random meaningless numbers. Like Rocket raccoon was simply 89Q13 before he escaped the literal hell of his early days in the clutches of an evil master who subjects him to horrible experiments for so-called good. Thank God humans are not just numbers to Him. We are His beloved, the crown of His creation. We are identified by proper names and He knows those who are His; even the very hairs on our heads are numbered. 

It's so heart-wrenching when the anthropomorphic otter who names herself Lylla softly says "It's good to have friends" and dreams of flying away together into a "forever beautiful sky."  Such a stark contrast to the reality of their surroundings - a prison cell, a world  where they have been subjected to much pain and suffering, their bodies mutated beyond repair. She expects their  master to take them to a new world where everything will be fine. Instead they are all murdered brutally within moments, except for the raccoon, who escapes to live in guilt that he is the cause of his friends' deaths and regrets what could have been.

Isn't it the innate longing of  every human heart to escape to "that" place where everything is beautiful and all good, where we can enjoy the fellowship of loved ones?  Gathering together with his odd-ball team, the hero Quill puts it so well, " I look around; I see...family." Isn't that what love is all about?... As it was always meant to be by a good God who created humans to be "family" with Him and with each other. What's more, there is indeed a "forever" place of beauty and rest for those who choose to believe, trust and hope in Jesus, as the only true living and good God, even when everything in the world as we know it looks and feels terribly bad. 

For even in the midst of all the bad, there is redemption.  When Adam Warlock who's on the enemy side asks why Groot the talking tree would spare his life when he hurt it, he is told simply, "Everyone deserves a second chance." I thank God He gives not just a second chance, but many chances for sinful man to repent and be saved. Even as those who have known the grace and mercy of a compassionate God are called not to repay evil with evil, or insult with insult, but with blessing, to love our enemies, and do good, because God  Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. To the extent of sending His beloved Son to die on the cross for such as these (which includes me.)

It takes a hybrid alien to pose a most poignant question as she is told by Quill (her half-brother) that humans only live up to 50... "what's the point of even being born?" Likewise when Rocket raccoon was taken up to meet his departed friends in that forever place, and Lylla told him he couldn't join them just yet, much as he wanted to, because he still had a purpose to accomplish. He cries out in frustration..." A purpose for what? They made us for nothing! Just stupid experiments to be thrown away!" 

That must be the ultimate tragedy -  to be alive, yet not knowing or missing our purpose in living. We are not stupid experiments to be discarded as rubbish  after our "usefulness" is up. We are not born to just die one day and get eaten up by worms.  We are born for more than just getting by with good grades, good jobs, good money, good health. My God tells me, I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  No matter  how winding the road of life, no matter that I don't understand many things, no matter what I can't do. This one thing I know - I have a God-given destiny (way better than anything I can think up myself) that makes my life full and worthwhile. And after my years on earth are up, there is waiting for me a wonderful new world that's really truly all perfect, that is without end.  Not the making of any man's proud ambition, but of a Creator-God who has pulled me out of darkness into His light of life. 

Just like how GOTG 3 ends so well; with each character finally finding and entering his/her own destiny in the grand scheme of things. Our world will never be perfect, but unlike the villain, we don't have to  be consumed by hate because we don't like the way things or people are.  Instead we can choose to fight the good fight in and of faith, to love as we are first loved by God, our Maker,  who will restore all things to perfection one day in a brand new world. 

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.... And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away....And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new...." - Revelation 21:1,4,5 

A birth-day to celebrate

I don't celebrate birthdays, so says my all-wise very adult son. Well, I retorted it's not your birthday today. I have learnt to appreciate birthdays. I think it's a getting-older-syndrome, recognizing that everyday I wake up still breathing, alive and well,  is a miracle really.  Especially when every so often we get jolted by news of death, whether it be of individuals we know and/or love, or strangers we don't know,  from whatever cause.  That's the reality of life on earth. 

But life does go on, so do celebrations. Yesterday I attended the wedding of a church member. As I got out from my car, another couple had parked in the spot just in front of me. They recognized me from church, though I am ashamed to say I don't remember their names. As we walked together towards the lift, my right shoe broke apart literally; the sides all "opened mouth."  Actually it's not the first time this has happened to me, which probably means my formal-wear shoes are a tad old. Normally I just get hold of a rubber band from somewhere or someone to tie it up somehow and keep walking. But this was a deserted car-park. No rubber bands anywhere, not even a security guard in sight. And I am going to a wedding. Now for a woman, (even if it's an old woman) that's a disaster.

The couple was most commiserate. The young lady mentioned she always kept spare shoes of every kind in the car just in case. The husband nodded, yes, she even keeps spare clothes in there. I am like.... wow, now why didn't I ever think of that in all my adult years ?!  Anyway, straight off, without me asking, she said she would get me a pair and hopefully it will fit. Though she was a bit concerned if I could handle 2 inch high wedge-heels. Of course the "new" shoes fitted me perfectly, though I had to be a bit more careful (read lady-like) in walking. What's more this angel went the full way of generosity - she said  I can keep the shoes for myself. 

I am so thankful God has indeed already prepared angels to meet our every need, even before it happens. And when God provides, man, He provides abundantly. I am sure it's no coincidence I ended up sitting at the same table with the couple from the car-park.  I thanked my angel once again and remarked how pretty the pastel-colored shoes were. Most astutely, she commented, "Aunty, your shoes must be all black, and all flat kan." Come to think of, she's right, how boring; that's the practical me. As all women would know, black shoes go with practically anything and everything. And flat shoes are so easy to walk in. 

Back home,  I dumped my "koyak" shoes into the bin. As I stare at my first pair of pastel-coloured high-heeled wedges, I am sensing....it's time to be refitted for new, different, bigger, higher and yes, more colorful things. The most romantic book in the Bible, Song of Songs 7:1 actually has the lover telling his beloved, "How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter..."  Ok, I get it; it's time I start walking out with new, stronger shoes.....of faith, hope and love. Old worn-out shoes of yester-years won't hold me up anymore.  

This year is indeed special for me. I turn the ripe (not old) age of 63. As I was pondering the number, it struck me 6+3 = 9.  Biblically the number 9 represents divine completeness/finality. Jesus died on the cross at the 9th hour, with His last utterance, "It is finished."  Personally for me, 9 represents birthing, as in a  woman who finally delivers the baby she carries for 9 months in the womb. And indeed, I have felt as if I am carrying so many things in me for so long. I felt my spirit stirred to call forth their birthing on this day, there be no more delay, no aborting, no still-birth, for according to God's Word, indeed it is finished - the good work He started in me, not when I believed at age 40, but from the very beginning, when He had already had me on His mind even as He formed me in my mother's womb. 

So it's very good I have a birth-day to celebrate ....

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” - Isaiah 52:7

Updated 7/5: The children presented me a very useful Bible, which comes with pages for journaling and verse-mapping. The very first time I flipped it open, the page displayed  Luke 1:45: Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil His promises to her.... Now surely that's a personal prophetic word for me... so I say I believe, Amen and Thank You, Lord.