When I consider Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which You have established,
what is man that You are mindful of him,
and the son of man that You attend to him? Psalm 8:3-4 (Modern English Version)
As I write this blog, it is Star Wars Day. Yes, you know, May the fourth… Do you remember when you first saw the first move in the franchise? It started, of course with Episode IV, something that we really did not understand as we sat in the theater watching that amazing scroll heading off into space. We were mesmerized by the graphics which, in 1977 were beyond amazing.
The movie unfolded, and we were struck with the levels of meaning that the writers, or we the audience, ascribed to it. Lots of action, heroes, villains, special effects, spiritual meaning, gripping plot line- I mean what else can you cram into a film? We just couldn’t wait until Episode V rolled out- three years later for heaven’s sake!
I think the franchise has been wildly successful for many reasons. It has gained world-wide acceptance and has been a fixed part of popular culture for generations. Part of the reason, I think, is that it reaches people at places where they want to be reached. People search for spiritual meaning in life, and Star Wars delivers in the way it portrays good vs. evil, and the faith level it takes for Luke to truly embrace The Force.
Our search for meaning even extends into our entertainment choices. I think this just reinforces that at every level, we are looking for something a little deeper. That is the amazing thing about how we are made, and our Maker too.
Prayer: Lord, you would have us seek you among everything in your creation. What a marvelous plan, Amen
