Movie: The Shack (2017)

Recently Mic asked in the chat group if anyone watched this movie titled "The Shack". Curiously, I checked online about this movie and found out that it is based on the author's original story to his own children about human relationship with God. When the book got published and became famous, biblical scholars examined the content and pointed out a lot of the author's misrepresentation of God.  As Lisa always reminded me to "take the meat and throw the bone", my own understanding after watching the movie is the author had published the story without consulting with the church leaders for biblical accuracy and doctrinal truth.

The movie itself is quite good and I enjoyed the 2-hours with lots of reflection. Some of the observation I made:

• I am created to be loved by God.
• God never leaves me although in a lot of times, He seems to be like that to me especially when I go through pain and suffering. That God is not there is a lie from the enemy, and I renounce that lie in Jesus' name!
• God wants to know me although He already knew everything about me in advance.
• He wanted the intimate conversation and time with me as a father with his daughter. I guess my life will be very mundane and predictable if He always tells me what to do and I don't have any chance to talk to Him about my thoughts and feelings. Sounded like a dictator-led life if God really does that to me and it's just a matter of time before I rebel or give up my life altogether...
• God's love is meant to exist in relationships.
• The trinity relationship in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is based on love. When He created this world and me, He did it with His love hence His love is already in me. My past experiences since childhood had distorted my view about His love for me, but Father God is loving me still.
• In our fallen world, our love is limited. We tend to abuse, manipulate, exploit and lie to each other in the relationships. We are selfish-being because we expect to be loved by others unconditionally but we decline to do the same to the others.
• I am precious to God.
• Like a loving father, He will stop for me when I go to Him. And I just need to go to Him as I am without setting any conditions with Him.
• God is good.
• If I knew Him and how much He loves me, even when I don't understand, I can know that He is working in my life for good and I can always trust Him.
• Don't look at the pain or think about the past but look to Jesus and He will make it OK for me.
• Honestly, this is challenging for me to do but I am willing to keep trying until it become natural to me.
• Step out from the boat and start walking in faith with Jesus.
• The boat represents my own strength, wisdom, standard, way, pain, past and even knowledge about God that had became stumbling blocks for me.
• Jesus came 2000 years ago and He challenged the religious Jews to about God. He is challenging me today too - can I be like Peter and walk on the water with Jesus by my side and my eyes fixed on Him alone?
• The scene where Mack running across the lake with Jesus is wonderful! He was having fun and there is no worry on his face as he ran with the Lord, because he knows Jesus is at his side and will help him from sinking. It will be more enjoyable to do everything with the Lord at my side, haha...
• God is the just Judge and I am not.
• I admit, I have always play the "judge". No wonder in my previous personality test the result for my "judging" trait was so high. I judges everything and everyone according to my standard, and when they failed, I become angry and hurt which I then project my negative emotion to either myself (self-condemnation, punishing myself to do even better, self-isolation) or others (revengeful thought, mean words, cold shoulder, etc).
• When I learn to see my life through His eyes and understand His heart, there will be less stress in my life.
• When I say "I forgive you/that person", do I really meant it? Or will I take back the judging seat and be my own judge? Dear Father, help me to truly and sincerely forgive and let You be the true Judge because I can't.
• I always hoped for pain-free life, but this is impossible.
• God promises a better life (not without pain, of course) for me if I put my trust in Him. I imagine my life is like the little girl in a car where I can enjoy the life journey because He is the driver ~ God is in control =)
• Because God loves me, He will keep working on me.
• The song "I am the clay, He is the potter" came up in my head. Yes Father, I am willing to be broken and moulded by You into useful vessel for Your kingdom. Please hold my heart as I go through the processes in You hand because I am fearful of the pain that I have to go through. I put my trust in You because I believe that I will come out stronger in You. Thank You Father, amen.
• My act of forgiveness to others without the help from God doesn't establish true relationship.
• The pain inside me (if I haven't not truly forgive and let go) will destroy me, robbing me of joy in my life and clipping/crippling my ability/capacity to love others. I will be stuck or possibly self-destruct if I won't or can't let go of my past.
• In the final scene, God journeyed with Mack to retrieve Missy's body from a cave. Mack handed Missy's body to Jesus and He placed her into the little coffin. Both Mack and Jesus carried it together to be buried. Flowers and a tree grew where the burial took place.
• I see it as an act of me surrendering my past to God after He led me to find the root of my pain. When I handed it over to Jesus, He placed it into a box, and if the burden is too heavy for me He will carry it with me to be buried away. Both acts reminded me that God doesn't want me to go through or carry my burden alone. Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV) says "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
• He can turn my past into beautiful future because of this everlasting truth: He loves me.

Thank You Father for Your affirmation of Your love to me through this movie. I can only say "Father, I love you too".