God speaks to me when I am not expecting Him to. Who would have thought He would invade my heart and mind while watching Wonder Woman?
I have seen the new film, Wonder Woman, twice now…and both times a couple of scenes held my heart and mind captive beyond the amazing computer generated graphics. Taking place during World War I sometime in 1918, there is a scene where Wonder Woman is being led to the front lines. Having never experienced the reality of war before, her gaze is drawn to injured men walking on crutches and being pushed along in wheelchairs. As they near the front lines, her gaze is drawn to the suffering of the innocent civilians, her heart obviously called to protect and rescue those people. Juxtaposed to her bewilderment at the pain being suffered was the obvious callousness of the hearts of the men who were leading her toward the front line. Although they fought for the same end to suffering as Wonder Woman, they had grown used to and seemingly numb to the same things that appalled her.
As my heart was moved by those images, I could not help but think of the reality of spiritual warfare being waged and raging all around me…and how easily my heart grows calloused and numb to the suffering and pain of others due to the sheer amount of exposure to that pain and suffering. My heart was challenged to remember that people are suffering and dying all around me and that I am called to bring the healing, rescue, peace, and love of Christ into the reality of the world around me.
To bring even more conviction from the Lord, another character, Steve Trevor, makes a statement earlier in the movie whose theme carries out through the entire movie…and challenged my heart as a follower of Christ: “My father told me once, ‘if you see something wrong happening in the world, you can either do nothing or you can do something,’ and I already tried nothing.”
I can do something. I have already tried doing nothing…and when I do nothing, nothing changes. What can I do? I can ease the pain of those who suffer. I can comfort those who sorrow. I can bring truth into the darkness of those who suffer due to their own sinful choices. I can offer a cup of water to a thirsting soul. I can do something. I can always express the heart of Jesus to those around me…even if they do not know that is what I am doing. My heart was renewed in the purpose God has placed me on this planet for…to keep telling the story of what God has done for me in the hope that His redeeming love would ease the pain and suffering and bring victory and peace to those broken by the warfare of sin around me.
Dennis Jernigan
In the film, Wonder Woman was relentless in her desire to set the captive free from tyranny. Jesus is relentless in his pursuit of our freedom. Download a free mp3 of the song Relentless at https://dennisjernigan.com/free-downloads