It’s a Wonderful (Eternal) Life!
The classic ending scene from the iconic 1947 movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life” starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, as George and Mary Bailey, portrays the difference between restored-relationship joy and the joy that is only produced by fluxuating circumstances. George Bailey, is shown by Clarence, a kind of “junior, under achieving angel” (trying to earn his wings) to demonstrate to George what life would have been life if he hadn’t ever been born. George is given an experiential tour of that alternate life and he is shown that his family’s and friends’ lives and the whole town of Bedford Falls would have been far less “rich” (in the truest sense of the word) if he had never been there. Ironically, he was thinking of taking his life because $8,000 dollars had been stolen from him when his apparently alcoholic uncle let his guard down to the mean and ruthless Mr. Potter, the town’s greedy villain.
When George is returned to the present reality back to before his “life without George ever have been born” experience he saw everything differently through completely new eyes. He suddenly was filled with a deep other worldly joy as he saw the town, his beautiful wife and loving kids with gratitude to God. God had answered his prayer, “I want to live again.” When that prayer was granted, his circumstances had not changed. They were the same. But he didn’t care because HE HAD CHANGED! The way he viewed what he had, his priceless relationships with those he loved and those who loved him held far greater importance to him than his still dire financial situation. Of course, in the story his business and personal crisis was dealt with through the generosity of those he his life had touched for good. But that was just “frosting on the cake” at that point. He had become crazy with joy before his circumstances had changed proclaiming, “I’m going to jail. Isn’t that great!” That is the greatest miracle in fictional George Bailey’s story AND in the very real nonfictional stories of you and me…it is the transformation of the human heart independent of our current circumstances that makes us all perk up and pay attention.
I want to dig a little deeper with this fictional story and propose that there is something very real and nonfictional that is tapped into here that is instructive for us on the journey in following Christ. The longer we live, the more we should be getting weary of this world’s circumstance-dependent joy. Most of us feel quite seasick from being tossed by the constant swells of relentless events (as we see in the news today) many of them originating from a real “Mr. Potter” (the devil). Now, more than ever we should be longing for something more “inside out,” not “the outside in” to find true lasting joy.
I don’t have to tell my readers (all 7 of you! Ha!) that we are in now and are heading for more of a bumpy ride as a nation, likely bumpier than it has ever been experienced in its history. One of my favorite comedians, Gary Gullman, said about his Jewish ancestors, can also be said of America, “From time to time we have been known to have gotten ourselves into a bit of a pickle.” Think The Revolutionary War…The Civil War… The Great Depression and World War 2. The near future could become harder than any of those periods. That’s why I feel led to write this blog on this 4th of July 2022. I do this not as a physical denial of what we now face and may face in the days ahead but as a spiritual deliverance that has been graciously provided by our God and our Savior.
I want to go back now to the story of “It’s A Wonderful Life.” I believe just about the greatest joy we can ever experience as a human is relational joy. We all know what that feels like in one way or another. Think about that falling in love with the one who would become your spouse…or just enjoying being with each other in relationship think about meeting your daughter or son for the first time and holding them, loving her or him just because they exist…and then playing catch with your son or having a heart-to-heart talk with your daughter. Think about the joy of being with your best friend and just spending time together. You are so happy just to be with that person. This is relational joy not circumstantial joy. It is a deeper and truly transcendent gift of God in this topsy turvy world..
Now let’s take this joy up a notch. And this is what we saw in the classic movie. The relationship that George had with his wife, his children, his friends he had grown up with now not only existed but they had been “lost” and now they had been restored. This is the joy of restored relationship. Restored Relationship Joy is even greater than never having had a break in the relationship in the first place. We know this through the ups and downs of marriage, in the struggles parenthood that doesn’t end when they turn 18, the ups and downs of having lifetime friends. It may had seemed that we had lost the friendship but discover it had only been dormant like a plant in the winter. And those of us who have experienced a truly restored family or friend relationship, through the work of the Holy Spirit applying the blood of Jesus Christ, know how glorious this can be!
Now let’s take this up a final notch. As those of us who have repented from our past sin and have turned to Jesus, we are in possession of the greatest joy possible for a human being. No, I am going to go beyond that, for ANY created being, angelic beings included! Because angelic beings in all their glory, who did not fall with the one third we believe who fell with Satan, surely have relational joy with God, but they can never have “Restored-Relationship Joy” that fallen human beings saved by Christ have?
Jesus gives three parables In Luke chapter 15. Jesus speaks of this Restored-Relationship Joy in three parables in Luke 15. He uses a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son to demonstrate the joy of the finder of what was lost not the joy of the one who had been found.You may never before paid attention to this. (I know I hadn’t!) but the joy of a restored relationship is not only the joy that we as lost and then found sinners experience. The sacrifice of His Son gives God joy of a restored relationship to us! How else can we understand the prophet Isaiah when he writes 800 years before Christ’s crucifixion? “Yet the LORD was PLEASED to crush him severely. When you make him as a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days. The LORD’s PLEASURE will be accomplished” (Isaiah 53:10 emphasis added) His Restored -Relationship Joy towards us is now within us along with the joy of our restored relationship to Him! It’s a double joy! It is both human and divine joy residing right within us!
What if you and I, with all of the craziness in this world that Jesus promised would be happening, chose to live with “Restored-Relationship Joy?” This is God’s joy in being restored to us and our joy in being restored to Him. And what if we let that joy overflow to give hope to others? Have you ever thought that the present circumstances occurring all around us can provide the dark backdrop that will make a joyful and thus hopeful life more brightly shine forth and open up a heart of another to want to find out its source? “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope always be ready to explain it.“ (I Peter 3:15)
May this be so, Lord! In your Name, Amen.
Comments or your insights are welcomed either on the Legacy Leavers Facebook Group or on the Serving His Servants Website. Thanks!
Jamie Bohnett
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