Of Heroes and Legends, (There Can Be Only One) (poem)

[Note: Another poem from the archives and yes, this is another one I wanted to post because of my recent conversation with friends about science fiction and fantasy stories (and most anything really) being used to convey spiritual truth. I've heard it said before, "Everything is theology"- and I think it's true. And in the end, all of the heroic stories point us back to, as Tolkien called Him, "The One True Myth"- Jesus Christ, the Hero who gave His life to save His enemies and rose again to prove He's God. He is the One all of my writings hopefully point to all the time.]

This seems to be appropriate to follow the parody song about Narnia that I posted last. This a little poem I wrote just recently- this one just came to me one day and all of a sudden I had to hurry and write it down. This one was fun for me given my love of sci-fi and fantasy and superheroes and comic books and so forth, of course. :-) It talks about the heroes and legends of old- the ones in myths and stories of yore- and how through all these characters and adventures- we are ultimately drawn to the longing and desire inside all of us to be part of something bigger than ourselves- to join in the great adventure that God is ultimately calling us to- the one that He laid out for us before time and made possible through the death and Resurrection of Jesus. This is also definitely inspired from my love of Hebrews 11 – the hall of faith. I really love Hebrews 11:38 when it describes the faithful to God- “they were too good for this world.” Or in other translations- “the world was not worthy of them.” (I think of the great heroes of the faith in The Bible of course- and a few of my modern Christian heroes as well like St. Francis of Assisi, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Eric Liddle, Mother Teresa, Mister Rogers, Jim Elliot, C.T. Studd, Hudson Taylor, Martin Luther, Rachel Scott Joy, Cassie Bernall, Larry Norman, Keith Green and Rich Mullins- among others) And as J.R.R. Tolkien once explained to C.S. Lewis- though it sounds like one of the myths of the dying and rising gods of old- Jesus and Christianity is different in this regard- because it actually happened. Jesus is the one true myth!


Of Heroes and Legends,
 (There Can Be Only One)

(by Nathan Ludwick; copyright 3/9/2011)
(Psalms 44:4-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Philippians 3:8, Hebrews 11, Jeremiah 20:9, Hebrews 12:1-4, Ephesians 6:10-20, Proverbs 28:1, 1 John 5:4, John 16:33, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Acts 17:22-31, Matthew 13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 9:22)

Once upon a time, as all good stories start
A bright new world of hope, then things fall apart
As years of wreck and ruin rage, a line of heroes begins to raise
The stuff of myths and legends here to save the day

In the days of darkness and dangers
There are the adventurers, wanderers and strangers
The giants of old, the men of reknown
The ones that the songs and tales are written about

Powerful in battle, armored for the quest
The good fight to conquer kingdoms and restore justice
A strong faith gives a supernatural advantage
As brave as a lion, the righteous one stands

With every chance to turn back, they continue on
Struggling to save the good that’s left in the world
Where the smallest ones can be the boldest ones
A fire burning in the heart drives them on to greatness

An epic scale like Middle Earth, for Narnia and for Aslan
Though tortured, flogged, jeered and facing the sword
Destitute, persecuted and mistreated- they were too good for this unworthy world
This great cloud of witnesses calls us to endure and join them on the golden shore

And the Man on the moon is the One who made it and holds it in His hands
Santa Claus- ol’ Saint Nicholas shows us The Father’s kind and giving heart
And Superman is the picture of the God-Man who brings salvation for all
The One True Myth- Realer than Real, Truer than True is The Hero we need to believe

If we can trust the foolishness of God, the pilgrim’s progress leads us to the Grey Havens
Where we realize all the stories of lore really pointed us to Christ at the core
And then with Him, as all good stories end, we live happily ever after.

………………………………………………………………………………….

Endure A Little While Longer

(NOTE: Another entry from the archives, as I mentioned in the last post. I hope to have some new writings on various topics coming soon. :-) I hope this blesses and encourages you.)

(Revelation 2:3, Mark 13:13, 2 Timothy 2:12)

I just ran out into the cold winter weather to get the rest of my things in from the car with no jacket on. Of course, I've done brief sprints into the cold with shorts, T-shirt and sandals before. I was just thinking how it's funny that I'm willing to do silly and even foolhardy things at times when I know whatever discomfort I feel won't be long and I know the end result is worth it. It's harder... to remember that sometimes in the spiritual life, but the comparison is still true. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to serve The Lord with gladness and endure hardships as good soldiers of The Lord Jesus Christ. And though the trials seems long and arduous and even unbearable or impossible at times, we know that it won't be that long overall and the end result (the strengthening of our faith, as James 1 talks about) will be worth it. Of course, we also have the promise of the ultimate destination at the end- as Philippians 1:6 says (along with numerous others), God will present us perfect in Christ Jesus one day in Heaven! The One who is coming will come and will not delay- He will come in just a very little while. (Now whether that little while is a matter of minutes or a matter of millennia, we don't know and can't say- but regardless of whether The Lord returns in our lifetime or not)- the righteous one will live by faith. And God's not pleased with us if we shrink back- since that leads to destruction- but we're not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved! Hallelujah and Maranatha! Our light and momentary struggles are not worth comparing with the Glory that will be revealed in us. (Christ in us! And of course, He is the Hope of Glory! And The King of Glory! The One alone worthy of all glory, honor and praise! Praise The Lord!) So while the world might call us silly, stupid and foolhardy- we will gladly bear the title of fools for Christ because the foolishness of the cross is the power of salvation for us who believe and the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom! And through it all, Jesus is right there with us every step of the narrow way and never leaves us! And The Holy Spirit lives in us, guiding and teaching us. God Himself is going to get us home to God! In a little while we'll be with The Father forever... Until then, we must journey on on this unexpected journey to another land beyond what any eye has seen or ear has heard or mind has conceived of goodness God has for us. So don't be discouraged or afraid- be of good cheer, for Christ has overcome the world! Let's keep striving to be awkwardly uncomfortable for Christ a little while longer- the winter will end soon and Christmas will come... Keep walking by faith and not by sight and trust the untame but good Lion of Judah. He will get this fellowship home safely. Fight the good fight, keep the faith, and run the race for the prize!

This passage that I love from "At the Back of the North Wind" by George MacDonald beautifully demonstrates the point I'm trying to get across here. If you haven't read this awesome book from the guy who C.S. Lewis called "his master"- check it out! It's in the public domain, so you can read it for free here! :-)


'He trembled so at the thunder, that his knees failed him, and he sunk down at North Wind’s feet, and clasped her round the column of her ankle. She instantly stooped, lifted him from the roof — up — up into her bosom, and held him there, saying, as if to an inconsolable child —
“Diamond, dear, this will never do.”
“Oh yes, it will,” answered Diamond. “I am all right now — quite comfortable, I assure you, dear North Wind. If you will only let me stay here, I shall be all right indeed.”
“But you will feel the wind here, Diamond.”
“I don’t mind that a bit, so long as I feel your arms through it,” answered Diamond, nestling closer to her grand bosom.
“Brave boy!” returned North Wind, pressing him closer.
“No,” said Diamond, “I don’t see that. It’s not courage at all, so long as I feel you there.”
“But hadn’t you better get into my hair? Then you would not feel the wind; you will here.”
“Ah, but, dear North Wind, you don’t know how nice it is to feel your arms about me. It is a thousand times better to have them and the wind together, than to have only your hair and the back of your neck and no wind at all.”
“But it is surely more comfortable there?”
“Well, perhaps; but I begin to think there are better things than being comfortable.” '