But you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant … Hebrews 12:22-24 (NETFull)
In rural Pakistan I watched girls playing with primped Barbie Dolls. The incongruity of brown children bending white dolls was forgotten as I gawked at the Middle Eastern layout of their dollhouse. Cardboard boxes were separated inside a miniature wall. The Barbie-mother was all beauty as she entertained royalty on a mat in the courtyard.
It dawned on my ethnocentric brain that of course the home would be fashioned like an extended family compound, what else had the darling builders ever known? Barbie didn’t notice anything was amiss as she carried out her perfect life like she does in every child’s world.
Humans are born with a universal capacity to indulge in fantasies of love, battle, and heroism. Boys envision battles while girls dream of romance. Even our music and art reflect our imaginings of grandeur. We crave something more than this monochrome life.
Because of Christ, we no longer need to deceive our hearts with science fiction or dime store romance. Our yearning for a bigger life is actualized. Instead of milking drama from the television, I am named as a character inside the most riveting storyline to ever exist. The Christian faith lets me intertwine with ultimate beauty and bring monsters down by prayer.
It turns out that old, insignificant me is not so boring after all. My truest existence really does include unearthly dimensions, heroism, and victories. Reaching for full life in Christ thrusts me into the most epic of life dramas.
Prayer: Valiant Jesus, with you the fantasy is real.