Black Swan
You have to be careful in how you analyze the previews though because sometimes they can be misleading.
Reference: v.19 “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?” (TNIV Bible) {readmore}
Explore: Whenever I go to see a movie at the cinema I always pester my friends to be on time so that I don’t miss the previews. I love to sit and watch the trailers for other movies and decide whether I would like to see the whole film they are portraying. You have to be careful in how you analyze the previews though because sometimes they can be misleading. There can be an hilarious preview but when it comes to watching the movie you realize that all the funny bits were in the trailer and the rest of the film is quite lame! Or you think the movie is about one thing and it turns out to be about something completely different. I know a lot of people were misled with the film Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman. Some people went to see the movie thinking it was a pretty dance film when really it was a psychological thriller. Sometimes things are not quite as they seem.
Application: In the same way we can often misconstrue words we hear from God. The prophet Isaiah told King Hezekiah that God would allow all the fruit of his kingdom to be carried off to Babylon. Hezekiah thought that this meant peaceful times for their future and yet it turned out to be the destruction of the nation. When the Bible teaches us to be more like Christ we can think that means that we will have his power and wisdom. However, it also means that as we strive to be more like Him we will experience His suffering and persecution too. It’s easy to see the parts we want to see but we don’t always understand the full extent of what it is to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.
Prayer: Lord, give us Your strength as we persevere to live as You would have us live. We don’t know the complete picture of our future but we put it in Your hands. Amen.
What are some of the struggles you experience in following Jesus?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.