Thursday, January 30, 2014

Lone Survivor

Recently, Nancy and I went to see Lone Survivor. It’s based on the true story of Marcus Luttrell, a U.S. Navy SEAL. It’s a gritty, violent, bloody, profanity-smattered movie that U.S. citizens need to watch. We have been so far removed from the war in Afghanistan, few of us have been touched by its cost.

It’s a story about brotherhood, the will to survive and the price of war. But more than anything, this story reminded me how expensive grace can be.

I can’t write much without revealing the story, but will say that grace was extended to a young Afghan. As a result Luttrell and his teammates were exposed to the enemy and very bad things began to happen.

The story reminded me, while grace is freely received, it’s always going to cost the giver.

We need to understand the weightiness of the sacrifice that’s been made for us. The crucifixion was gritty, violent, bloody and probably profanity smattered. I think we're so far removed from the cross, we are rarely touched by the cost.

A price has been paid for you, and it was extremely costly.

But I don’t convey that message to make you feel guilty, live right, buck up, press on, try harder, live better and to stop being such a loser.

Instead, I want you to understand how valuable you are. You are so profoundly loved Christ was willing to expose himself to a gritty, violent, bloody, profanity-smattered death. The Holy willingly submitting to the profane.

He knows your heart and the dark places you allow it to go, where you allow your mind to wander, what you allow your body to do. Seeing you fully in your depravity he points at you and says, “This is the one I’m dying for.”

If you ever wonder if you're worth anything, remember the price that purchased you. 

1 comment:

  1. saw the movie some time ago yes good parallel of what Gods grace is all about so hard to understand why He would do this for us but so glad He did Jeff

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