Psalm 90:5-6, 10, 12
Key verse:
Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
so that we may grow in wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 (NLT)
I recently watched the movie, "Stranger Than Fiction". Interesting premise. The main character, Harold, begins hearing a voice-over narrating his life as it happens. He finds it puzzling, annoying, disconcerting. But then, the narrator begins discussing Harold's impending death! This starts him on a frantic quest to find out who is telling the story of his life and convince them that he shouldn't die.
As Harold carries out his search, he gets to know a literature professor who believes him about the narrator. He also believes that Harold can do nothing to prevent his own death. When Harold is mourning the approaching end of life, the prof tells him, "Make the most of the time you have! It's your life, Harold! Make it the one you've always wanted!"
As I sat pondering the movie, I realized the absurdity of my thoughts. Why? Allow me to quote what I heard in my head:
Wait a minute! That's happening to all of us! Harold is Everyman! We all know we're going to die, and although some of us may think otherwise, none of us truly knows when, where, or how. So, am I going to do like Harold does, and try to make deals with the Narrator, to buy more time? Or will I make my life the one I've alway wanted, the one that pleases God and blesses others? Granted, I don't want to lose sight of eternity, but I choose to make the most of my moments here. I want to keep it all in balance, so my achievements are more than just the words I leave on paper. I want my life to be "stronger than fiction."
I recently watched the movie, "Stranger Than Fiction". Interesting premise. The main character, Harold, begins hearing a voice-over narrating his life as it happens. He finds it puzzling, annoying, disconcerting. But then, the narrator begins discussing Harold's impending death! This starts him on a frantic quest to find out who is telling the story of his life and convince them that he shouldn't die.
As Harold carries out his search, he gets to know a literature professor who believes him about the narrator. He also believes that Harold can do nothing to prevent his own death. When Harold is mourning the approaching end of life, the prof tells him, "Make the most of the time you have! It's your life, Harold! Make it the one you've always wanted!"
As I sat pondering the movie, I realized the absurdity of my thoughts. Why? Allow me to quote what I heard in my head:
"That would be so strange, to know you were going to die, but not know when or where or how...."
Wait a minute! That's happening to all of us! Harold is Everyman! We all know we're going to die, and although some of us may think otherwise, none of us truly knows when, where, or how. So, am I going to do like Harold does, and try to make deals with the Narrator, to buy more time? Or will I make my life the one I've alway wanted, the one that pleases God and blesses others? Granted, I don't want to lose sight of eternity, but I choose to make the most of my moments here. I want to keep it all in balance, so my achievements are more than just the words I leave on paper. I want my life to be "stronger than fiction."
There remains for us only the very narrow way, often extremely difficult to find, of living every day as though it were our last, and yet living in faith and responsibility as though there were to be a great future. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer
1 comment:
Finally, somebody made a movie... When I first learned adverbs, I became a self-narrator. "Nimbly, she walked up the steps...slowly, she crept up the stairs.." I digress. I most look forward to my personal narrator stating "Well done, good and faithful servant." "Faithfully, she walked the steps of life.."
Post a Comment