“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior.”
Psalms 25:4-5
Another Frozen 2 inspired offering, this time inspired by one of the amazing songs from the movie. Written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez “Show Yourself” is a powerful anthem. My daughter Elizabeth sent me a text that said: “That song in Frozen 2 where she’s (Elsa) arriving at the voice place, that ‘Show Yourself’ song. If you picture singing that as a worship song talking to God… oof.” She was right. Let me try to explain.
Spoiler Alert – once again if you haven’t seen the movie you may not want to read on or you might want to watch the clip for this song on YouTube.
While technically the song begins “Every inch of me is trembling…” I really think it starts with the line: “I hear you and I’m coming.” This line could have two perspectives – the first as God calling and us responding. Not unlike Samuel responding to hearing God call his name (1 Samuel 3:4-10). The Lord called Samuel three times and then on the fourth time Samuel responded “Speak, for your servant is listening.” The second as us calling and God responding, not unlike the many times David calls out, for instance “When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted” (Psalm 138:3). Either works although for me the first perspective is the more powerful of the two. I suppose it depend on where you find yourself in this moment.
Elsa in many way has known that something was missing, she understands that in some ways she is lost and not where she is meant to be (but that’s another song). In the first verse Elsa has fully surrendered to this voice that has been calling her – a voice she somehow knows is good and has the answers she has been searching for. Arriving it feels familiar, it feels like home. Can you relate to those feelings in response to your own moment of surrender to that still small voice of God whispering to your heart, a moment when you realize that, that missing something was within reach?
Then Elsa sings about how she’s been a fortress and not the best kind. She was a fortress stuffing her emotions and hiding her gift out of fear. The physical place she has arrived at looks like a fortress and while there may be mystery and secrets to be discovered inside - this fortress does not hide. Quite like our God. David often refers to God as a fortress like in Psalm 31 “Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me” (v. 3). God also does not keep secrets from those who dare answer His call; “And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure…” (Ephesians 1:9).
In the first chorus Elsa wants to see who has been calling her, to know if she will really find the answers she seeks and she is ready to learn about her gifts and her purpose. In a numbers of the Psalms the psalmist is asking the Lord to “teach me, O Lord.” We should often be asking the Lord to teach us about His ways, about the path He has for us and about our purpose.
In the second set of verses Elsa’s countenance is already changing. She feels certain, she is no longer trembling she has found a new boldness – remember David in Psalm 138:3. The journey has been long, but her response to the voice calling her is making her whole. Just has our response to Jesus calling us makes us whole.
At the bridge of the song the lyrics go:
“Come to me now; Open your door; Don’t make me wait, One moment more.
Come to me now; Open your door; Don’t make me wait, Once moment more.”
This is another point in the song where it could either be us speaking or God speaking. Like Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be open.” Or perhaps you need this to be God talking as in Revelation 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Just like a friend we’ve always known.
The song includes a reprise from the song that opens the film and thus brings the movie full circle so to speak. The line here “Come, my darling (change darling to child), homeward bound and we too can sing I am found. Just as I was writing this it made me think of the prodigal son.
At the end of the song Elsa can now step boldly and without fear into the power and purpose she has been given. She is whole, she is new – she may still be a fortress but she will no longer hide she will step fully into who she was created to be.
When we step boldly into the power of the Holy Spirit we can step into the world without fear to be who we were created to be, to be made new day by day.
Today in the midst of this pandemic storm let’s step into His power so we can step fully into who we were created to be, without fear.
A Prayer
Father – thank you for showing yourself to us in ways and places that we would never expect. Call to us and grant us the courage to follow your voice to the place where we find our true selves. Thank you for the power that makes us new and lets us go boldly into our world to make your love known. In the name of Jesus, who calls us. Amen.
Monday, April 20, 2020
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
The Next Right Thing
“Then you will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path.”
Proverbs 2:9
Spoiler Alert – If you haven’t seen Frozen 2 you might not want to read this and I highly recommend seeing it.
In Disney’s Frozen 2, Princess Anna has once again been pushed away by her sister. Anna and Olaf who was pushed away at the same time find themselves in a deep dark cavern, when they receive a frozen message from Elsa. Anna understands the meaning of the message and sadly tells Olaf, “I know what needs to be done, we need to destroy the dam.” You see destroy this dam will right a wrong done long before Elsa and Anna were born. Why was Anna so sad, breaking the dam would also destroy her home and kingdom. Olaf spot the way out and as they turn to go something happens to Olaf leading him to the conclusion that “Elsa had gone too far.” Anna says goodbye to Olaf as he flurries away. Anna now alone in the dark, her sister presumed dead, having sacrificed herself for the truth, without her friend Olaf and now faced with overwhelming grief and the need, the call to do the next right thing.
And some of us think we’ve got it hard.
In this interesting time, we find ourselves in – a time where many are fearful, lots are sick, we are all somewhat isolated although some more than others. It can be overwhelming and the next right thing can be hard to see.
I have to be honest, my life personally hasn’t at this point been terribly disrupted – I still shop for groceries once a week, non-groceries every two weeks, my husband still goes to work and our off time is spent at home, which is how it would be normally. We had been hunting for a new church when this hit, but I have known how important church online is, for quite a long time. So in some ways or us church is really good right now – we can go to church with friends in Australia and back at home in California. We can listen to amazing music and listen to powerful messages of hope from all over the world.
Figuring out the next right thing to do is the challenge. For me trying to encourage others is on the list, as is being extra grateful for all I have and being extra thankful for people who normally get taken for granted – supermarket clerks, Walmart employees, restaurant staff, truck drivers, people who work in the trades, the list gets longer the more I think about it.
I don’t know how you are going at this time but I want to encourage you especially if you are a follower of Jesus to not be afraid, and to just do the next right thing. What is the next right thing? Maybe it’s not watching the new as much and taking care of your own mental, physical and spiritual health. Maybe it’s checking in on an elderly neighbor or a friend who you know struggles with mental health issues. Maybe it is making sure the people who work in the shops and restaurants you visit that you are thankful that they are there doing the best they can to serve you. Maybe for some of you it’s looking over all that stuff you purchased in a panic and giving some of it away so that those in need can have it.
Ask God to show you what your next right thing is. I know things can seem pretty dark and lonely right now, but things will get better and maybe if we all focus doing the next right thing our lives will be better for it when this storm is over.
As with all Disney movies Frozen 2 has a happy ending, actually it is an extraordinary ending. We’ll get to a happy ending eventually too if we will seek His face, hold on to faith, accept His peace and do the next right thing.
A Prayer
Father – thank you for walking with us in the midst of this world wide storm. Help us to show our gratitude to you and to all the people who are working so that life can be as normal as possible in this time. Show each of us what next right thing you have for us to do and grant us the courage to do it. In the name of Jesus, whose next right thing bring us new life. Amen.
Proverbs 2:9
Spoiler Alert – If you haven’t seen Frozen 2 you might not want to read this and I highly recommend seeing it.
In Disney’s Frozen 2, Princess Anna has once again been pushed away by her sister. Anna and Olaf who was pushed away at the same time find themselves in a deep dark cavern, when they receive a frozen message from Elsa. Anna understands the meaning of the message and sadly tells Olaf, “I know what needs to be done, we need to destroy the dam.” You see destroy this dam will right a wrong done long before Elsa and Anna were born. Why was Anna so sad, breaking the dam would also destroy her home and kingdom. Olaf spot the way out and as they turn to go something happens to Olaf leading him to the conclusion that “Elsa had gone too far.” Anna says goodbye to Olaf as he flurries away. Anna now alone in the dark, her sister presumed dead, having sacrificed herself for the truth, without her friend Olaf and now faced with overwhelming grief and the need, the call to do the next right thing.
And some of us think we’ve got it hard.
In this interesting time, we find ourselves in – a time where many are fearful, lots are sick, we are all somewhat isolated although some more than others. It can be overwhelming and the next right thing can be hard to see.
I have to be honest, my life personally hasn’t at this point been terribly disrupted – I still shop for groceries once a week, non-groceries every two weeks, my husband still goes to work and our off time is spent at home, which is how it would be normally. We had been hunting for a new church when this hit, but I have known how important church online is, for quite a long time. So in some ways or us church is really good right now – we can go to church with friends in Australia and back at home in California. We can listen to amazing music and listen to powerful messages of hope from all over the world.
Figuring out the next right thing to do is the challenge. For me trying to encourage others is on the list, as is being extra grateful for all I have and being extra thankful for people who normally get taken for granted – supermarket clerks, Walmart employees, restaurant staff, truck drivers, people who work in the trades, the list gets longer the more I think about it.
I don’t know how you are going at this time but I want to encourage you especially if you are a follower of Jesus to not be afraid, and to just do the next right thing. What is the next right thing? Maybe it’s not watching the new as much and taking care of your own mental, physical and spiritual health. Maybe it’s checking in on an elderly neighbor or a friend who you know struggles with mental health issues. Maybe it is making sure the people who work in the shops and restaurants you visit that you are thankful that they are there doing the best they can to serve you. Maybe for some of you it’s looking over all that stuff you purchased in a panic and giving some of it away so that those in need can have it.
Ask God to show you what your next right thing is. I know things can seem pretty dark and lonely right now, but things will get better and maybe if we all focus doing the next right thing our lives will be better for it when this storm is over.
As with all Disney movies Frozen 2 has a happy ending, actually it is an extraordinary ending. We’ll get to a happy ending eventually too if we will seek His face, hold on to faith, accept His peace and do the next right thing.
A Prayer
Father – thank you for walking with us in the midst of this world wide storm. Help us to show our gratitude to you and to all the people who are working so that life can be as normal as possible in this time. Show each of us what next right thing you have for us to do and grant us the courage to do it. In the name of Jesus, whose next right thing bring us new life. Amen.
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