The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - When the Smoke Clears

In The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the people and dwarfs had been through one major conflict that broke their spirits and they succumbed to the wishes of the great dragon who lived in the mountain.  The dwarf King, Thorian and a band of dwarves make a decision to take back their mountain and once again see the riches of the mountain flow to everyone around.  In their quest, they encounter one problem after another, as they work their way back home to their mountain.  They are strong fighters and their hearts are strong as well, but the lack of any action by anyone to challenge the evil darkness has lulled everyone they meet into a weak sleep, and they don't think they want to wake up.  Even those who are like them and living under the oppression of the darkness, turn on them, accusing them of being selfish and out for themselves.  In the last few minutes of the movie the humans have convinced themselves they cannot win and don't want to pay the price for trying.  The dwarves will not quit though and they search and find the secret door to go inside the mountain.  There's a great expectation as King Thorian puts the key in the lock and pushes open the door, revealing a very familiar pathway inside.  Thorian stops for a moment when inside and touches the walls of the mountain and says, "I know these walls and this path."  He is overjoyed at the prospect of being home and taking back what is rightfully his.  He has missed the life they once had in the mountain.  Of course, the movie ends with an incomplete battle that will lead everyone to want to watch the next chapter in the next movie.

All of this parallels with the life of Christians and our struggle with evil at every turn.  One battle after another as evil continues to grow and gain advantage at each one of those turns.  We remember times when God moved in a great way and great success was seen by all who called the name of Christ, but things have changed....Why?  We have given up too much ground in our desire to keep from fighting the good fight.  The battles have weakened our resolve and our hearts aren't in it as much as they need to be.  We even tear others down who want to fight to keep ourselvse from feeling guilty.  We have become complacent and comfortable, and we don't want to ruffle any feathers so we don't lose the comfort of our apathy.  In Paul's letter to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:12 he says, "Fight the good fight of the faith.  Take hold of the the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."  I believe we need to get the same mindset of the dwarfs and Paul and "long" for the place we love, the place called the presence of God.  The key is Jesus and his light is shining to show us where to enter this place called home.  We, like the dwarfs, may feel like the light has shown but we have missed where the key goes, but if we will believe we will see the keyhole Jesus illuminates. When we push open the door and walk in we will revel in the sweet place we know as the presence of God and we will know that we have been there before and we like it.  That is taking hold of the eternal life in a big way and the great thing about it is God is waiting to give us the power to keep going as we reclaim lost ground that has been given up to the evil one due to our fear and laziness.  All of this is real and all of this is possible, but we can only do it with God's strength and with a desire to see God move again and then we will take back that which we have given to satan and when the smoke clears we will see God once again as victor in our lives.  Oh what a sweet reunion, when we come back to God and glorify Him once again in our lives.   Oh there will be tough times, but there will always be tough times in life, and the purpose of glorifying God in our lives will make those tough times fall to the side as we focus on the true meaning of living.

So, what's it going to be.  Are you going to live a life of mediocrity in the darkness, or a life  of purpose standing in the light?  What is it going to take to awaken us from the slumber of nothingness, and burn a desire for the things of God?  Do you miss the mountain of God?  If not, why?  Have you become complacent and let evil win at every turn, or are you ready to stop turning and live on the straight and narrow path God has put before us?  We will face the dragons of this world and they will blow fire and smoke, but if you live for Christ when the smoke clears we will stand victorious with our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He is our arckenstone, and He is the heart of our mountain!!!

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren