Faith and service

I could not think of a title that I really liked. In the end I went with what seemed to go with what I was thinking about.

When I go to drill, and the unit is allowed to go home at night on Saturday, I usually stay at the armory over night. It's just too long of a drive to go home and then drive back in on Sunday morning. As a result I am left to my own devices for food and entertainment. A dangerous prospect to be sure. :) Somewhere along the line I purchased a small portable DVD player. Nothing fancy, but sufficent. I took along the movie "The Last Samurai" to watch again this weekend. There were a few times when I was reminded of some Biblical truths...

There was a scene where Katsumoto is talking to Capt. Algren in the garden of his family's temple. Katsumoto is talking about how his ancestors had made the garden and that he had come to realize that "we are already dying". I failed to get all the details sorted out in my head as to why this "turned on a light" but isn't it true? Once sin came into this world it immediately started to die. This body we live in will die, so instead of worrying about the when or the how just know that it will eventually die and come to accept it. (Note: I am NOT talking about seeking a way to hasten that event.) But this truth then tied into another truth the samurai strive for...

"To know life in every breath, every cup of tea..." to, in essence, seek to live each moment to the fullests. Captain Algren writes in his journal earlier in the movie of how he is struck that "from the moment they wake up, until the moment they go to bed, they (the samurai and the villagers) seek to perfect themseleves in whatever they set out to do" - there is some paraphrasing there as I did not write it down verbatim. But this is at the core of why I consider myself a 'samurai' to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24, ESV
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

But I also wanted to note that as Katsumoto lay dying he looked at the cherry blossoms and said, "pefect, they are all perfect". And this is profound (to me) in that earlier in the movie he mentions that one could spend a lifetime in search of the perfect blossom. But as he lay dying he realizes that they are all perfect. To me this was profound in this way...

God has made them all. Our view of what is perfect or imperfect is subjective, but God's objective. Each blossom, each trial, each instance of creation is perfect - even if it is in the process of dying due to sin - in that God made it for a purpose, and it can not be anything but perfect. This does not do away with my sin. Sin is not perfect except in its one goal. To rebel against the Creator and thus cause its seperation from its Creator.

How can I not want to serve the Creator who not only created me but then also took the initiative to reconcile with me - when I was perfect in my rebellion against Him? He restores my soul (Psalm 23), He restores my mind, He restores my relationship with Him. If it where not for Him I would have remained perfect in my sin and ultimate seperation. But because of Him I am now perfect in my relationship with Him and I will some day walk in His gardens and feast at His table. He deserves my best every day - and I am grateful that where I am weak - He is strong (1 Corinthians). That I am completely justified, even as I work out my sanctification.

No verse for today as I incorporated them into my thoughts above. :)