UP a devo

Here is a devotional, using the movie UP as the source material.

1. There are three human characters(Carl, Russel, and Charles) in the movie and they all share something in common, what do you think that is?

2. Yes they are all male, have all been to South America, and have all been in some form of flying machine, but the main thread that ties all these characters together is their past.

3. Tell me about their pasts

a. Carl

b. Russel

c. Charles

4. How are they letting their pasts affect their lives?

a. Carl

b. Russel

c. Charles

5. Is this healthy?

6. Ok now what about you?

7. Read Lev. 19: 27-28

8. To my understanding Cutting your hair, trimming your beard, cutting yourself, or marking yourself, are all signs of mourning. Often times over the dead. In what ways is the past like the dead?

9. Read Matt 8:21-22

10. Ok comparing the past to the dead maybe you don't consider that fair read Isa. 43:18

11. Charles never let go of his past how did that turn out for him?

12. Carl and Russel both had to release their past. When did each break free? Carl specifically had a very dramatic release of his past.

13. How did this play out in their lives?

14. How would this play out in your life?

15. Carl spent a long time living in the past, though Charles spent longer. In a sense he was living dead, and lost a big chunk of his life because of that

16. Are you missing out on your life? Read John 10:9-11

17. Final thoughts?

Follow me

We sang a song in church that spoke to me, I think was the first time I had personally sung this song, but its title is "Follow me" One of it's verses states ""I work so hard for Jesus" I often boast and say "I've sacrificed a lot of things to walk the narrow way, I gave up fame and fortune; I'm worth a lot to Thee""

Because I have sacrificed a lot. I have lost relationships with friends. I've lost relationships with girls, because I refused to compromise my values. I have had people hate me, I have hurt, I have helped those who were hurting. I have carried so many burdens, both mine and those of those around me. My shoulder has always been there for others to lean on. And I wonder when will I get my "due"? When will my life be better? When will I finally get my blessing?

And the song goes on: "And then I hear Him gently say to me, "I left the throne of glory and counted it but loss, My hands were nailed in anger up on a cruel cross.""

I hurt and life isn't fair to me, and people don't treat me as they should, and Gods own people don't treat me as they should. But he paid it all, and His own people didn't treat Him as they should.

The eyes of a chid, as seen by the eyes of an adult.

I really have no idea why I started thinking this, but for some reason I recalled how Christ's sacrifice was explained to me way back in the day. I don't recall exactly how old I was at the time, but I was young enough that my parents considered dwelling on death a touchy subject. This is how it was explained to me: It is like I had done something wrong, and was going to get my butt cracked. Then my mother would be like don't spank him, I will take his punishment.

Honestly it confused me. My mind somehow put together, I had done something wrong, and that mom was going to take the blame. As I was thinking about it, I thought how naive that explanation was, that a spanking hardly compared, but as I started to write out my thoughts I found something to cling to. My confusion as a child. My mother being spanked for me, makes no sense. Yet somehow I take Jesus's sacrifice for granted, Ive heard it a hundred times. And somewhere, in that span of time the "novelty" wore off.

Don't get me wrong I still think it was awesome, and a big deal, and it saved my butt, but I lost my confusion at it not making any sense. It is foolish and dumb, and why would anyone ever do that? (see 1 Cor 1:18-31) That is some seriously potent love. And how much more so now? Now that I have started to understand the magnitude of my transgressions.

Honestly spankings I can handle, I could be cracked all day, and I could live with it. I could be grounded, or scolded, or chastised, or put in time out, and as much as I hate everyone of those things I could deal with it. It would not be an insurmountable task. These are all debts "I" can pay. But my sins? A terribly painful death? The very depths of hell? Every single sin in the world? I can't even begin to cover the cost of my own sins, let alone the worlds. That is a very scary love, that is perfect love.

Somehow the magnitude becomes a little more "relevant" again.