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Monday, May 24, 2010

LOST in the Details

*Spoiler Alert*

We pulled a marathon last night, the first one since Caleb and I started the LOST series three years ago when we jumped in late through Netflix.  Our DVR’d series finale went into the wee hours as we awaited the fate of Jack, Kate, Hugo, Sawyer, John Locke and the other characters of that crazy and captivating series.  You just don’t think about waking up at 6:30, changing diapers and cooking breakfast when the island you have been captivated by is falling into the ocean.  It’s hard not to get lost in the details- they were abundant and there were some themes that just couldn’t be overlooked. 

Though this great show was by no means an accurate depiction of the Truth found in scripture about good and evil, man and his desire to find peace, and the inevitable question of what happens after we die here on earth,  I loved the spiritual undertones in this series.  Here are a couple details that hold True in both LOST and the Bible.

  • Everyone is broken and flawed-  The con man, the runaway convict, they interrogator, the pregnant mom out of wedlock, the rock star with an addiction, the surgeon desperately seeking approval- they made it quite clear that everyone that boarded Oceanic 815 was incomplete and struggling in their life.  The truth is, there was no one on that flight, and no one ever that existed that is without sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
  • People want to know what is beyond this world and they want purpose- Why?  Why am I here?  Why were they on the island?  Why were they chosen?  What was their purpose on the island?  The supernatural was emphasized on the island, but it is here in this world that we live in.  Unfortunately it all too often is buried with material possessions, self-ambition and pride, but it is here.  And people feel it.  When all the stuff doesn’t satisfy, when all the gain and fortune and fame are not enough, people long for more.  God designed it that way, He designed us to have an eternal longing for HIM!   “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
  • There is Good and Evil- The black smoke monster showed the power of evil and devastation in a very vivid way- it would just storm in and freakin’ knock people around!  Though Satan occasionally works like this, he is much more deceitful and heinous.  I can’t imagine that the people on the island ever felt at peace and secure, they knew that evil was glooming around every tree branch.  We should also be alert, knowing there is evil in the world we live in, and often times it doesn’t appear as a crazed polar bear on a tropical island. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
  • Beyond this life-  I loved how the last episode of LOST coalesced into one great reunion.  I loved the awakenings that each of them had as they realized who they were, who the others were and what their purposes were.  There was something awesome and ethereal when each person was awakened through the flash.  It just resonated deep within, thinking of the powerful transformation when someone believes in Christ and becomes a new creation. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. 

There was also that scene, that in my opinion, was devastatingly lacking as far as a true picture of eternity.  That final scene of all of them in the church and the great light streaming in.  I imagine that hanging out in that church with Claire, Charlie and listening to Driveshaft singing, “You are everybody,” over and over might get a little monotonous - certainly there will be music, a great reunion, and a brilliant light (Rev 21:23), but I think there will be so much more(Rev 21 & 22).  Randy Alcorn’s book, Heaven, gives a really detailed investigation into the Biblical picture of Heaven.

  • And you don’t even have to survive a plane crash-  praise God for that!  Everyone on that plane came from a broken and incomplete life, and everyone needed to be fixed, just as is true in reality.  The writers of LOST illustrated that through this plane crash and the journey on the island, one would be made whole.  What a sad situation for the millions watching LOST, who want the same end- completeness, forgiveness, purpose, reconciliation, eternity and justice for evil, but don’t have the option of boarding a crash-bound plane departing from Australia.  Praise God that the author of REAL life  has designed a much simpler and a FREE means to that same end- through Jesus! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17  What a relief that God has provided a means to completeness, forgiveness, purpose and eternity by simply believing in Jesus!

 

The Dharma Initiative baffles me, but I would gladly answer questions you have about how you can receive eternal life through Christ!

3 comments:

Anti-Supermom said...

Those are some interesting points, Tyne. I'm going to have to get the series and schedule a big chunk of time to figuring out what LOST is all about.

PS - your kids are so adorable, I still love the spring flowers photo in your header.

Genny said...

I have never watched LOST (I know, everyone thinks I'm nuts), and now I'm thoroughly convinced I'm missing out! Need to catch it next season!

Hugs to you!

Katie W said...

You're quite literary, Tyne! Such a good writer! I only caught the first season of Lost, though Lindy adores it-she was trying to explain the past five seasons to me, but it was like she was speaking a different language! I am really looking forward to catching up on Netflix.

I too, know that heaven is going to be SO MUCH MORE.

P.S. The Randy Alcorn book has been a real comfort to me.