Saturday, January 23, 2010

Lord, let me walk like ELI.


I went to see "The Book of Eli" last night. WARNING: if you have not seen the movie...then you may not want to read any more.
This moving starring Denzel Washington was a great movie. I must say that the premise was a post-apocalyptic account of a man who was guided by God to a place where he found the last remaining bible. He unearthed the bible hidden by debris and was told (by God) to take it west. Not knowing any more than that....he headed west....walking. He walked for 30 years, across the United States...not being deterred by anyone or anything that stood in his way. He read God's word EVERY DAY....placing it in his heart.
He was confronted by vandals, vagrants, murderers, a comfortable life, sex, money, water (of which there was little supply).
One of the key lines in the movie when he was talking to the young girl who fled with him....when she asked about the "old times" or pre-apocalypse....he said;
we had way too much, people used to throw away things we now kill each other for
(this may not be an exact quote...but its close)
As he fought off and killed those that would cause him harm, or keep him from what God called him to...he used uncanny skill in battle, and had unnatural ability to avert harm. He did however (eventually) forfeit the braille bible.
It wasn't until he reached the west coast of California...San Fransisco that we find out that he is blind and that he had walked for 30 years, fought and killed the bad guys and was directed only by his FAITH.
He then met up with a man that he completely orated the entire New King James Bible...which he had memorized.
The journey of Eli was so inspiring.....I was convicted that I live too much by sight... and not enough by faith. I was reminded that when faith is all that you have.....it is sufficient.

2 comments:

Susan S. said...

WOW...just went and saw the movie. Waited to read your blog until now. This is a great movie. I came out feeling like God had created it just for His Children...to encourage us and to remind us who we are in HIM. Can you believe all of the mirror images/symbols? Notice the full armor he always wore? Notice the desert... the journey...how God took care of him in all ways...giving him water just in time, food just in time, companionship just in time...Notice how the young girl recognized him immediately in the spirit and in a sense worshiped him(like Mary) and later how he saved her from being raped and killed much like Mary M.? And how the movie brought to light the "other side" of religiousity as well...how some want the Word only to misuse it over people to gain control and power and to keep people in bondage...and that only those who truly know Jesus (the Way, the Truth, and The LIfe) know that it really is all about laying down our lives for each other...about love...not about all of the things that divide us. And what about the theme of finding purpose for one's life? WOW...because he had encountered the living God and had recieved his true calling, he was filled with boldness and perseverence...and he stayed single-minded through all the distractions...because he could fight off all the onslaughts of the enemy by the Truth that was in in him from time spent in the Word, and also using the temporal weapons God had given him to use. God equips those He calls...and wow did He equip this Eli guy. I can't wait to get a group of believers together to just talk and talk and talk about this picture. Could Hollywood have really known how this picture would be used in the hands of our Almighty God? I pray that there would be much fruit...for His Kingdom...I will encourage everyone I know to go and see it...WOW....

Tray said...

WOW....so much more insights...and I've seen it twice now.