CBC Worship Ministries: Devotional Blog

I think I’m the only person who hasn’t seen “The Dark Knight” yet. Just about everyone I talk to has seen it already. All the critics are talking about it like it’s already become a classic. They are saying that Heath Ledger’s performance ranks up there with the world’s best screen villains. Nathan called me to tell me it was “disgusting.” I was totally confused until he explained that that was lingo for absolutely, utterly fantastic.

I’m not saying that I’m a doubting Thomas, but I need to see it for myself. I’ve been burned more than a few times by movies that I heard were “must see” films – only to walk out of the theater feeling like I had been robbed. What is it about us humans that make us so suspicious, so untrusting?

I think sometimes that we act the same way in our spiritual lives. We live in doubt and suspicion of God – that He will not live up to his promises. That we will “believe it when we see it.” That the only time we will trust God is when we can verify what He has said or promised. We thus demonstrate that our faith is not based on the divine or supernatural, but the pragmatic and concrete natural world that we can see, hear, smell, taste and touch.

How do we know God lives up to his promises? The same way so many people knew that the Dark Knight was going to be a success. History. Experience. Evidence. If we trust a certain director, or producer – if we know the work of certain actors and actresses. . . if we know that the writers are the best in the business. . . we have reason to trust that we’re going to like the movie.

Likewise, God’s Word is full of fulfilled promises. Of completed prophecies. Of realized miracles. We have history, evidence, and yes, even experience. For which of us would dare say that we’ve never seen the hand of God in our personal lives?

I want to challenge you this week to pick a promise from God and really trust it. Trust that the promise has been made to you. Trust that God is going to keep His promise to you- than watch and see what He does. I think you may be in for quite a surprise. And yes, don’t tell me anything more about the “Dark Knight.” You’ll just spoil the whole thing for me! See you at the metroplex!