This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.
Lent is about glory! The choices, the sacrifice, and the death all lead to the glory. That’s right, glory comes as the result of the choices, the sacrifice, and the death.
As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11, emphasis mine)
As a result of Jesus’ emptying and humbling, God the Father exalted him, all for the Father’s glory.
Suffering is first, glory is second. The glory is the result, the reward.
We see the same in Frozen with Anna’s resurrection, Arendelle’s restoration, and Anna’s and Elsa’s reunion.
Anna Lives!
We hear early in Frozen that only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart. First, we think that this true love is Hans, then Kristoff. But in the end, it is Anna who shows an act of true love. In the end, we see that “true love” is far more than just a romantic love. Instead, true love is a sacrificial love.
It is this act of true love – it is this sacrifice – that can thaw a frozen heart.
The last breath, because of her sacrifice, turns into the breath of life.
Just like with Jesus, death has been defeated! Anna lives!
Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (I Corinthians 15:55)
Because Jesus lives, we can live also!
Arendelle Restored
Remember, the world of Arendelle was cursed with a never-ending Winter. Because of Elsa’s actions, the world was cursed.
But because of Anna’s sacrifice, the world was restored back to its original creation! The once frozen land is thawed and restored to its natural beauty.
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. (I Corinthians 15:21-22)
We look forward to the same.
But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides. (2 Peter 3:13)
Someday God will fix this broken world. This world that is so wrong will be made right. We look forward to the new heaven and the new earth.
Do you want to build a snowman?
When they were little, all Anna wanted was to play with Elsa. Anna kept asking Elsa, who had locked herself away if she wanted to build a snowman. Anna gets her happy ending. Anna gets her glory.
After Arendelle is restored, Anna and Elsa are reunited. Anna gets her sister back.
While the resurrection of the dead and the restoration of the world are things we look forward to in the future, reconciled relationships are part of the glory we can experience today!
Just like Anna and Elsa were reconciled, you, too, can reconcile with others.
Is there someone in your life with whom you want – or need – to reconcile?
Remember, the glory – that reconciliation – comes at a cost. Maybe it’s just making the first move, making the first call. Maybe it is confessing sin and asking for forgiveness. Maybe its forgiving someone who has hurt you.
As Philippians 2 and Frozen show us, the glory (the reconciliation) comes as a result of the sacrifice.
Today I leave you with a charge instead of a question.
Move first.
Make the call.
Send the text.
Did you know I wrote a whole devotional based on Frozen? You can check out Sharing God’s Story with Disney’s Frozen over at Amazon. Also, here are two free downloads that help share God’s story with Frozen. The first one applies Frozen to the Wordless Book. The second illustrates the “Romans Road” using the storyline of Frozen. Just right-click, “save as” and enjoy!
SharingGodsStorywithFrozen SharingGodsStorywithDisneysFrozenandtheWordlessBook
This is part of Emptied & Humbled, a movie based Lenten devotional. The whole devotional can be found here.
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Until next time, God bless.
Simon L Smith