Relentless Pursuit: God and Moana

Okay. So the polytheistic-riddled Moana isn’t exactly the film I’d pick to model the Christian faith. For that very reason, my wife was asked her thoughts on it by several mothers in her bible study that were wrestling over whether or not to show it to their kids. She was able to share with them the Christian movie reviewing resource that we consult from Focus on the Family whenever perusing new movies for the kiddos: www.pluggedin.com (letting my Dad flag fly a little here). Maoana gets the thumbs up from pluggedin for a couple of reasons. Firstly, since it is loosely based on Polynesian mythology, the historical element can spark a terrific conversation with your children about the importance of spreading the truth of the gospel to the unreached. Secondly, it does a good job of broadcasting the positive message that “striving to do what's good and right will result in a better world,”[1] And for a third (selfish) reason, it's action packed with adventure that makes it way more enjoyable for Dad than all the girly singing in Frozen. For those reasons, Moana can make for a fantastic, family-friendly, popcorn-filled movie night.

Now that I’ve watched it about fifty times with my toddlers, I can’t help but reflect on a song that resonates with my faith. Without giving too much away, this occurs towards the end of the movie where Moana is singing a song to Te Ka (fiery, volcanic monster thing) as it scrambles screaming towards her. Lyrics as follows:

I have crossed the horizon to find you

I know your name

They have stolen the heart from inside you

But this does not define you

This is not who you are

You know who you are

Let’s break this down with biblical references.

I have crossed the horizon to find you

Immediately this brings to mind the fact that God will go anywhere and everywhere to relentlessly pursue and rescue His lost sheep.

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him...” II Chronicles 16:9 NKJV

I know your name

Did you know that God has a unique name for each of his children? It blows my mind that the creator of the universe cares for us on such a deep, personal level.

“...To everyone who is victorious...I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.” Revelation 2:17 NLT

They have stolen the heart from inside you

Having sinned and fallen from the glory of God, love for the things of the world has stolen our heart away from our Creator.

“because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:21 NKJV

But this does not define you. This is not who you are. You know who you are.

In Christ, we are made new. No longer are we defined by our old, sinful past. Instead, we live each day covered by God’s grace. The Word and the Holy Spirit grant us this recognition in our lives.

“…anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

Again, though the movie is grossly inaccurate theologically, it is a family friendly hit with a moment that served as an encouraging reminder that God loves me and that He would pursue me across the whole earth. Hope you enjoyed the read. Now excuse me as I go “Away, away!”*

- Nicolas C. Day

*This is a Moana joke. If you didn’t get this, then it’s time for you to watch the movie already.

[1]http://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/moana-2016/

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3 Ways Dogs Remind Me of Jesus (Thanks to Marley and Me)

Please don’t misconstrue the title of this post for a lack of reverence for our Lord Jesus Christ. Obviously any comparisons stated here are limited in nature. The fact of the matter is, whenever I watched the movie Marley & Me, I was struck by at least three quotes that immediately brought to mind an image of Jesus. I mean to a tee. If taken out of context, I would have sworn they were from a pastor’s sermon.  

1. “A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his.”*     

Your background is not Jesus’s priority – he made that abundantly clear when he sought to save the criminals, prostitutes, and tax collectors. Neither is God concerned with the things by which the world measures success. Simply put, He wants your heart.

2. “Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things-a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity.”*

There is a plethora of powerful verses on joy and giving thanks in all circumstances. Jesus epitomized this quality, wishing the same for us. Paul, perhaps, conveys this most succinctly:

3. “He taught us the art of unqualified love. How to give it, how to accept it.”*

The act of God descending from Heaven, humbly donning the flesh of man, and shedding His blood as a redeeming sacrifice for the creation that turned its back on Him is the definition of unqualified love. Jesus also stressed during his earthly ministry this importance of loving others unconditionally.

So there you have it – three ways dogs remind me of Jesus. Now next time you walk through that front door and your pup’s face lights up and that tail starts wagging, just remember – Jesus loves you infinitely more.

- Nicolas C. Day

*https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/14961-marley-me-life-and-love-with-the-world-s-worst-dog

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