The Fellowship of the King
By now, most people are familiar with the story of Frodo and Samwise and their band of brothers. The Lord of the Rings is a sweeping, strong story that connects with many, some love the book, others the movies. The real attraction isn't the plot line or the endless scenes of battle or even the glorious New Zealand setting. The real draw, the heart of the story, is something we all long for, something we were designed for from the beginning.
Nine individuals set out on a journey together, on a common quest to free the Kingdom of men from the dreaded threat of evil. They called themselves the Fellowship of the Ring. They were true, loyal, and in a covenant relationship with one another. They had each others' backs. They fought for one another, believed in one another, and sacrificed for one another. That picture of friendship and fellowship is so powerful that untold millions have been moved by the story.
There's a reason for the sucess of the Lord of the Rings. It speaks to something deeply etched in our own hearts, something laid there from before the foundation of the world by the One who created us. It is a faint echo of His own longing... the desire for fellowship. Since we are His children, born of His Spirit, it is no surpise that we would bear a resemblance to our Father, that we would share His characteristics. When He breathed life into our mortal frames, it came with a whisper, a desire, a question. "Will you come back to Me? I won't be whole again until you do. My heart longs for you; I want your company. I created you in My image and I love you! You are My chosen companion, will you share life with Me?"
With that Kiss of Life, something is sealed in us forever. We'll never be at peace, never find our rest, until we find it in Him. Nothing will ever satisfy our hearts until we have fellowship with the King.
But just as He created us with an innate desire for fellowship with Him, He also imprinted us with a need for each other. You see, we have a journey to undertake, but there's a war going on all around us. The times are treacherous and the way is not always clear. We have a mission and a glorious destiny, but we could never make it on our own. Our wise King leads us to those people of like, precious faith and He knits our hearts together in love. He's given us our instructions - Love one another, bear each others burdens, comfort and encourage one another, give preference to one another, to be devoted to one another, accept and care for one another, serve each other, forgive one another, be kind to one another.
He wants us to help each other along the way, because He created us to be part of each other and to need each other.
It's all about the Fellowship. 1st John 1:7 says, "but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Frodo, Samwise, Gandalf and all the others who were part of the Fellowship of the Ring wore matching pendants made of ivy leaves and gold. Ivy stands for strong faithfulness, and Gold for purity that has been tried in the fire. It was a symbol of their friendship and the common cause that united them.
I, too, have a band of brothers and sisters, people who believe in me and encourage me, and spur me on to even greater faith. They are a company of precious friends who are loyal and faithful and true. They've walked through the fire with me. They've trekked up the mountain with me. They fight for me, they defend me, they lift me up and encourage me - but most of all they Love me, and I love them. Because they believe in me and the One who created me, I can run my race, I can finish my course, I can reach my Goal. When we cross the finish line into the eternal we will see more clearly how much we were helped by our friends.
We also have a common cause that unites us. We see in each other a love for the King that transcends life and death. We have a powerful attraction through the Holy Spirit that draws us together in this epic journey. We are a group of pilgrims traveling the highway to Zion, following the roadmap drawn in our hearts, driving back the enemy wherever he comes against any of us, sharing with each other the light we've been given to walk by, and rejoicing in our fellowship. Our eyes are always open because we know that others will be called to join us on the road, and we will love them and rejoice in adding to our company those who partake in that same sweet fellowship; the Fellowship of the King.
"Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King...Hallelujah, Hallelujah, we're going to see the King."
Nine individuals set out on a journey together, on a common quest to free the Kingdom of men from the dreaded threat of evil. They called themselves the Fellowship of the Ring. They were true, loyal, and in a covenant relationship with one another. They had each others' backs. They fought for one another, believed in one another, and sacrificed for one another. That picture of friendship and fellowship is so powerful that untold millions have been moved by the story.
There's a reason for the sucess of the Lord of the Rings. It speaks to something deeply etched in our own hearts, something laid there from before the foundation of the world by the One who created us. It is a faint echo of His own longing... the desire for fellowship. Since we are His children, born of His Spirit, it is no surpise that we would bear a resemblance to our Father, that we would share His characteristics. When He breathed life into our mortal frames, it came with a whisper, a desire, a question. "Will you come back to Me? I won't be whole again until you do. My heart longs for you; I want your company. I created you in My image and I love you! You are My chosen companion, will you share life with Me?"
With that Kiss of Life, something is sealed in us forever. We'll never be at peace, never find our rest, until we find it in Him. Nothing will ever satisfy our hearts until we have fellowship with the King.
But just as He created us with an innate desire for fellowship with Him, He also imprinted us with a need for each other. You see, we have a journey to undertake, but there's a war going on all around us. The times are treacherous and the way is not always clear. We have a mission and a glorious destiny, but we could never make it on our own. Our wise King leads us to those people of like, precious faith and He knits our hearts together in love. He's given us our instructions - Love one another, bear each others burdens, comfort and encourage one another, give preference to one another, to be devoted to one another, accept and care for one another, serve each other, forgive one another, be kind to one another.
He wants us to help each other along the way, because He created us to be part of each other and to need each other.
It's all about the Fellowship. 1st John 1:7 says, "but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Frodo, Samwise, Gandalf and all the others who were part of the Fellowship of the Ring wore matching pendants made of ivy leaves and gold. Ivy stands for strong faithfulness, and Gold for purity that has been tried in the fire. It was a symbol of their friendship and the common cause that united them.
I, too, have a band of brothers and sisters, people who believe in me and encourage me, and spur me on to even greater faith. They are a company of precious friends who are loyal and faithful and true. They've walked through the fire with me. They've trekked up the mountain with me. They fight for me, they defend me, they lift me up and encourage me - but most of all they Love me, and I love them. Because they believe in me and the One who created me, I can run my race, I can finish my course, I can reach my Goal. When we cross the finish line into the eternal we will see more clearly how much we were helped by our friends.
We also have a common cause that unites us. We see in each other a love for the King that transcends life and death. We have a powerful attraction through the Holy Spirit that draws us together in this epic journey. We are a group of pilgrims traveling the highway to Zion, following the roadmap drawn in our hearts, driving back the enemy wherever he comes against any of us, sharing with each other the light we've been given to walk by, and rejoicing in our fellowship. Our eyes are always open because we know that others will be called to join us on the road, and we will love them and rejoice in adding to our company those who partake in that same sweet fellowship; the Fellowship of the King.
"Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King...Hallelujah, Hallelujah, we're going to see the King."
posted by Lisa-Anne | 11:09 PM
2 Comments:
Hooah! Love ya, Sister...
TE
Hey LA! How encouraging this is to read!!!! :) Love you! Jessica
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