Go on without me

I love to go to the movies.

We did not really go on vacations as a family when I was growing up. We would take little day trips from time to time but never really did any traveling.

I was in my early 30s before I went to see the ocean. (I will save that story for another time.) My fondest memory of childhood was going to the movies.

I remember going to see “Pinocchio” with my mom and older brother when it first came out. I saw the first “Jaws” movie with my aunt and two of my cousins.

I was too young when the first “Star Wars” movie was showing, but I remember that it was my older brother’s first date movie.

I still have my ticket stubs for “Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” I went to more drive-in movies than I can remember.

I save my ticket stubs and put them in a photo album, and I write down who I was with when I saw the movie.

Although as an adult I have been on some excellent vacations with my family, I still love taking them to the movies just as much.

My wife, Melinda, is strictly a romance type person, so I see most of the other stuff with my kids.

I recently took my son to see “Battle: Los Angeles” on opening night. (It is still a special treat for me to go on opening night.) I loved the movie.

It was pretty much war with aliens from beginning to end. Of course, one scene is typical for movies of that kind. (Spoiler alert.)

One of the main characters is severely injured and stays behind to blow himself up and take some of the aliens with him. It is the classic “Go on without me” moment.

Usually, the person is going to die so they sacrifice themselves for the benefit of their loved one.

In the movie, this guy blows up a bus and takes several aliens out with him.

This got me thinking about our walk with God.

God came in the form of a human being, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sins so that we can have unbroken fellowship with him.

He loved us so much that he made the ultimate sacrifice to be with us.

What makes Jesus different is that his sacrifice was not the ultimate “Go on without me” moment. God does not expect us to be able to live on without him.

He knows we are unable to go on without him. In fact, we are completely dependent upon him to help us transform and become more like Christ.

That is the reason we are indwelt with his Spirit at salvation. It is only by his power that we can live on and become who we are meant to be in Christ.

The next time you are faced with a difficult situation, remember that it is not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of God that you will overcome.

These are uncertain times we live in. I cannot imagine how much harder things would be if we had to go on without Christ.

Dennis McFarland is the pastor of the Plumwood Church of Christ in Christian Union, 175 Arthur Bradley Road. He can be reached at (740) 857-1714 or by e-mail at: plumwoodpastor@yahoo.com