Watch a Movie?
It is just a platform. The wood is recycled. It’s just a flat deck in a tree. The wood came from pallets we found at a mattress factory. Hunters call it a stand. But that would not fit this flat space up in a tree. It is more than that. No hunting happens in this “stand.” This is one place to watch the “movie.” Sitting in it started these thoughts.
Our granddaughter asked me recently, “Can we watch a movie?” I cringed inside. A typical movie is viewed from a flat screen. The air is conditioned…heated in cold weather, cooled in hot. Usually, we sit in a comfortable chair, or lay on carpet with pillows for our heads. We watch a movie to be entertained. It could be fantasy, or realistic. Regardless, a movie is a creation of a human mind. There is a problem in that.
The main cringe worthy factor about movies is their origin. Movies are the product of human thought. It is true-some movies can be wholesome, filled with truth worthy of the time it takes to watch them. But movies worthy of our time are the exception. Most movies are time wasting and largely mindless. Sorry to be so blunt. But life is a gift. That makes every waking minute valuable. To use up valuable time of a human life on a movie of no value is an abuse of time.
You disagree. You think I’m unreasonable. Movies can’t hurt anything, you think. They are entertaining, fun, a good way to spend an hour or two. You say, look at how many movies there are to choose from. If movies were bad for us wouldn’t we stop making them? Stop for a moment…think that question through. Do humans stop doing things that are unhealthy for them? We both know we do not. There are dozens of examples of unhealthy human behavior. So, not all movies are unworthy of our time…most are. Movies based on truth, actual history, movies that strengthen our character are worthy of watching. Sadly, there are few movies like this.
The tree platform is one place to watch the real movie. By real movie, I mean the one God creates every morning. There are 365 new movies made each year. These are not created in a fallible, imperfect human mind, they originate in the mind of God. The average human lives 75-80 years. Just think, how many of God’s movies could one human see?” Watching a day unfold during a sunrise, pausing during the day to watch the sky, listening to the wind in trees, or sitting quietly while the sun sets…this is what I mean by watching the movie. Most of us cannot watch the entire day. But we can step away from our busy lives, sit quietly and watch God’s creation. I get it, we like movies…believe me, God’s are better.
In them God’s power and love are built into every day. We can experience them by simply being still and watching. Watching the same way we watch a movie. There is a major difference between a movie made by a human mind, shown on a screen and the everlasting “movie” God creates every day. Every moment we spend watching God’s Creation, God works on our heart. He strengthens our soul, fills us with hope, and gives us His peace. He shows us the truth in every one.
You can see them from a platform-up a tree. You can watch them from the shore of the ocean, the peak of a mountain…or in your back yard. Go ahead…watch a movie. But leave some of every day to watch God’s movie. True power and love are plainly seen. Each of us needs what only God can give. They are free!