Category: Devo180

…Opening To…

Frodo heard a sweet singing running in his mind: a song that seemed to come like a pale light behind a grey rain-curtain, and growing stronger to turn the veil all to silver and glass, until at last it was rolled back, and a far green country opened before him under a swift sunrise. (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Ch. VIII)

…Listening In…

There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach. (The Return of the King, Bk. 6, Ch. II)

…Filling Up…

The second to last day of this season of Devo180 brings us to the land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. Frodo and Sam have just escaped from the tower of Cirith Ungol, where the orcs had slain each while fighting over Frodo’s mithril coat. The two hobbits find themselves in enemy territory, where no good thing grows and where danger lurks around every corner. And to top it all off, as they move ever closer to Mount Doom (the only place where the ring can be unmade) the ring resists more and more, making ever step Frodo takes a challenge.

They have reached the bleakest days of their long journey. Everything around them is strange, foreboding, hostile, and dark. Could there possibly be any hope left?

Yes. The answer to that question is always “Yes.”

Sam looks up and sees a star twinkling high up in the sky – beyond the Shadow, beyond the reach of evil and malice. And Sam realizes in a flash of insight that “in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”

The thing about stars is that we can only see them on clear nights. They aren’t visible through clouds and they aren’t visible during the day (well, except that big one we call the sun). But they are always there whether or not we can see them. When Sam witnesses the white star twinkle, he remembers the truth that even the faintest of hopes is still hope, even as the faintest of flames gives off light.

…Praying For…

Dear God, you are constantly loving this creation into existence. Help me to remember that no hope is too small to contain your promise. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray. Amen.

…Sending Out…

I leave this moment with you, God, knowing that you have gifted me with companions to take the journey with me.

…Opening To…

Frodo heard a sweet singing running in his mind: a song that seemed to come like a pale light behind a grey rain-curtain, and growing stronger to turn the veil all to silver and glass, until at last it was rolled back, and a far green country opened before him under a swift sunrise. (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Ch. VIII)

…Listening In…

They all gazed at him. His hair was white as snow in the sunshine; and gleaming white was his robe; the eyes under his deep brows were bright, piercing as the rays of the sun; power was in his hand. Between wonder, joy, and fear they stood and found no words to say. At last Aragorn stirred. ‘Gandalf!’ he said. ‘Beyond all hope you return to us in our need! What veil was over my sight? Gandalf!’ (The Two Towers, Bk. 3, Ch. V)

…Filling Up…

The wizard Gandalf died defending the fellowship from the monstrous Balrog while the companions were fleeing from the mines of Moria. The fiend of flame and shadow took one step onto the bridge of Khazad-dûm and Gandalf smote the bridge with his staff. The narrow way collapsed and the Balrog fell, but not before ensnaring Gandalf with its whip and taking the wizard with it. The two fell an impossibly far way down. And that was the last the fellowship saw of Gandalf.

Until the moments before the quotation above, at least. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli come upon a traveler in the forest. They don’t recognize him at first, and they think he might be the evil wizard Saruman. But no. He is Gandalf, but not the Gandalf they remember. Not exactly. Aragorn wonders how his vision might have been so impaired as not to realize that Gandalf stands before him. The wizard, for his part, looks brand new – dazzling white and brilliant.

Sound familiar? It should because this scene mimics two different parts of the Gospel – the Transfiguration, in which Jesus becomes dazzling radiant before three of his disciples; and the Resurrection, in which the Risen Christ meets many of his followers but they don’t recognize him right away.

Now, I could stop there and just say, “How cool! Tolkien borrowed from the Gospel!” But I should probably say something else. So here it is. Notice what Tolkien says: “Between wonder, joy, and fear they stood and found no words to say.” I can’t think of a better description of how the disciples must have felt when they met the Risen Lord. Heck, I can’t think of a better description of how I feel when I stumble into God’s presence.

There’s wonder because we realize that luminous mystery abounds about us. There’s joy because we realize we are not alone. And there’s fear because we realize we’ll never fully understand the mystery. When we stumble into God’s presence, we find ourselves awash in all three of these states. And we find that we have no words that are deep enough for the experience.

…Praying For…

Dear God, you fill my life with wonder, you shower joy upon me, and you quiet my fears. Help me to proclaim your movement in my life with the words that you set on my heart. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray. Amen.

…Sending Out…

I leave this moment with you, God, knowing that you have gifted me with companions to take the journey with me.

…Opening To…

Frodo heard a sweet singing running in his mind: a song that seemed to come like a pale light behind a grey rain-curtain, and growing stronger to turn the veil all to silver and glass, until at last it was rolled back, and a far green country opened before him under a swift sunrise. (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Ch. VIII)

…Listening In…

‘It is true that if these hobbits understood the danger, they would not dare to go. But they would still wish to go, or wish that they dared, and be shamed and unhappy. I think, Elrond, that it this matter it would be well to trust to their friendship than to great wisdom.’ (The Fellowship of the Ring, Bk. 2, Ch. 3)

…Filling Up…

Today is day two of five with The Lord of the Rings to close out another season of devotiONEighty. The four hobbits, with the help of the mysterious stranger Strider, succeed in making it all the way to Rivendell. The escape from several challenges on the way, but nothing that could prepare them for what is further on the road.

A council meets in Elrond’s house, and the council decides that the ring must be destroyed. Frodo accepts the burden to carry the ring once more, but he must need companions. The council decides that a company of nine is suitable to match the nine black riders that are hunting for the ring. With two spot to fill, Gandalf speaks the words above in support of Merry and Pippin, who might have been left behind otherwise.

What a wonderful thought Gandalf voices: “It would be well to trust to their friendship than to great wisdom.” Wisdom in this case says to send a few more stout warriors, the better to protect the ringbearer. But Gandalf councils against this. Rather, the friendship that the hobbits have for each other is fiercer than any warrior, stouter than any sword or armor.

The Lord of the Rings, in the end, is a tale about friendship. In our walks with God, we often talk of bearing one another’s burdens or of having fellowship with one another. But I don’t often hear of us talking about the friendships that we make because of our relationships with God. The old hymn sings: “What a friend I have in Jesus.” But do we really consider Jesus a friend? I imagine that many of us would think such a thing presumptuous at best.

But Jesus himself named his disciples his friends when they lived by his commandment to love one another. When we see friendship as a spiritual calling, we can walk through all sorts of new doors that God opens for us. Think of your closest friend. How does your friendship with that person support your relationship with God? How does your relationship with God support that friendship? Friendship is one of the greatest gifts that God has given us. We may not be privy to great wisdom, as Elrond is, but all of us can share in the gift of friendship.

…Praying For…

Dear God, thank you for the friends that you have given me to support me in my life with you. Thank you for the laughter, the joy, and the consolation they have brought to my life. Help me to do the same for them. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray. Amen.

…Sending Out…

I leave this moment with you, God, knowing that you have gifted me with companions to take the journey with me.

…Opening To…

Frodo heard a sweet singing running in his mind: a song that seemed to come like a pale light behind a grey rain-curtain, and growing stronger to turn the veil all to silver and glass, until at last it was rolled back, and a far green country opened before him under a swift sunrise. (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, Ch. VIII)

…Listening In…

‘Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread. That can’t be right. I need a change, or something.’ (The Fellowship of the Ring, Bk. 1, Ch. 1)

…Filling Up…

This week is the final week of devos for the 2011-2012 season. Devo180 will be on hiatus from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but other great content will be showing up on WheretheWind.com, so stay tuned. I began the second half of this season with a week of devos about a favorite film of mine, The Princess Bride. So I thought I’d end with another favorite, The Lord of the Rings, except I’d rather talk about the books than the films (which are also awesome, by the way). So without further ado, here’s the first of five days of reflections on our life with God as seen through the lens of J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece.

The quotation in the “Listening In” section above takes place right at the beginning of the story when Bilbo and Gandalf are talking before Bilbo’s secretive departure from the Shire. Bilbo has just used the ring for the final time and now he struggles to leave it for Frodo, his nephew. The ring has power over him, has been exerting that power for decades – slowly, patiently – so when it comes right down to it, Bilbo is quite reluctant to let go of it.

The ring was forged as a means of domination and used for evil purpose. By the time Bilbo discovers it, the ring has been lost for hundreds of years, but it has not lost its design. Thus, it represents the willingness of the individual to control his or her own life completely and eternally. While this might not sound like a bad thing, the eventual trajectory of such a desire leads either to total isolation or to total domination (which brings us back to evil purpose again).

When Bilbo says that he feels like “butter scraped over too much bread,” he clearly states what it feels like when we attempt the fool’s errand of taking total control of our own lives. When we neither wish for nor invite God’s sustaining presence into our lives, we too can feel “all thin, sort of stretched.” How many times have you felt at the edge of collapse? In the days leading up to it, how much did you rely on God? If you’re anything like me, then not much.

The answer to finding the right amount of bread to scrape our butter over (to stay with the simile) is giving up the ring as Bilbo does; that is, giving up our need to control, to dominate, to be self-sufficient. The good guys in The Lord of the Rings are never alone and there’s a reason for that. We need each other. We don’t need the ring.

…Praying For…

Dear God, you are always present in my life no matter how often I ignore you. Help me to let go of my need to control and to be self-sufficient so that I may rely on others and on you way before I begin to burn out. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray. Amen

…Sending Out…

I leave this moment with you, God, knowing that you have gifted me with companions to take the journey with me.