Did you ever feel as though someone were out to get you?
Ever feel like someone was intentionally messing with your life? Ever have someone tell you that you were just being paranoid?
What’s the opposite of paranoia? Is there a word for being oblivious to an actual threat?
Because that’s the condition that plagues most people these days.
Conversation from The Matrix:
Neo:Because I don’t like the idea that I’m not in control of my life.
Morpheus: I know *exactly* what you mean. Let me tell you why you’re here. You’re here because you know something. What you know you can’t explain, but you feel it. You’ve felt it your entire life, that there’s something wrong with the world. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I’m talking about?
Neo: The Matrix.
Morpheus: Do you want to know what it is?
Neo: Yes.
Morpheus: The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work… when you go to church… when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Morpheus: That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind. I’m trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. You’re the one that has to walk through it.
“So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:7-10
There are two forces at work here in this quote from Jesus. There is the shepherd who is the only safe door for the sheep and then there is the thief, whose intent is to steal, kill and destroy. A major side-effect of ignoring the reality of Jesus is refusing to open our eyes to the opposing threat at work in the world.
The devil, Satan, Lucifer, the evil one, the chief fallen angel – while not a power equal to God is an active agent of destruction at work in our midst. It’s as dangerous to ignore him as it is to cooperate with him (just as it took the non-action of many silent people in Nazi Germany for the handful of active Nazis to accomplish their plan).
Satan has created a working matrix in this world and most humans simply operate within this matrix, refusing to wake up to the truth that they are slaves to the great puppet master manipulating their strings, making them dance to whatever tune he chooses to play in that age – Materialism? Communism? Fascism? Narcissism? Apathy? False Religion? False Hope? Work. Vote. Buy. Spend.
He slips a quarter into his jukebox and the joint jumps to whatever number he selects. It feels like “the” place to be.
But a few refuse to dance.
Some of these have sensed that everything is not exactly as it seems. Others have wearied of the dance, and wonder if there is a place to rest. Still others have just outright seen through the façade and are scrambling for the exits, hoping to find the door before the place fills with smoke and the way of escape is too hard to find.
Jesus is the door.
Satan is at work in this world. You are either actively cooperating with him, a willingly ignorant victim, or an active enemy enlisted to fight against him. This is the truth.
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” I Peter 5:8
“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:24-26
”It does not do to leave a dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” J.R.R. Tolkien
You live near a dragon. Have you factored that into your life’s equation?
If you haven’t, may I offer you the truth?
Soon the place will fill will smoke. The snazzy guy buying everyone drinks and dropping quarters in the box is pure evil. What he’s serving up has dulled your mind and numbed your senses. You’ve become his slave. This isn’t a party, it’s a gas chamber.
Step outside with me for just a minute. Come through the door.
The door has a name. It’s Jesus.
Can you smell the fresh air of freedom? That’s right. It’s right there.
Follow my voice. Walk through the door. Jesus. Do you see Him? Yes, now you’re starting to wake up. Don’t worry. There’s a long fight ahead but we’ve already won.
Conversation overheard at a Sunday dinner table:
She: There’s so much trouble happening at church, I tell you, the devil’s having a field day!
He: And that’s EXACTLY why you won’t catch me in a church. Nothing like that happens at my job.
She: Well, that’s because the devil’s not trying to destroy the place you work. You’re not exactly a threat to him. He’s already won over most of you there!
He: Mmph. I’m still not going to church.
She: Well, there you go. You’ve made my point.
He: What point?
(All quotes from scripture in this post were taken from the NASB)
Video from http://www.youtube.com/
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Wow Lori! This is a good post. I’ve often looked at the Matrix and other movies and been surprised at how often they touch on what is really going on. We always choose, we’re just not always aware of the choices we make.
Lori, this is brilliant! I said in a blog post of my own the other day that we’ve all been invited to one of two parties at the end of this world – a celebration or a BBQ. If we choose the BBQ, we’ll be the “hot dogs” on the grill! And refusing to “choose” is choosing for the “Dragon.”
Would you mind if I “reprint” your post over at Glass House, with a link to your blog?
Blessings, my friend,
Cheri