I love a good love
story. One of my favorite movies is Pride and Prejudice. It is one of those
movies that I can watch over and over. I
recently discovered another movie that I love. It’s called, Far From the Madding Crowd. I
am not a bit embarrassed to say that I’ve already watched it several times and
plan on watching it again.
I was wondering to myself what exactly is it about this
particular movie that draws me to watch it? I think because, to me at least, it speaks of
our intrinsic bend toward
self-reliance and God’s ever-patient love for us.
In a nutshell, the storyline in Far From the Madding Crowd tells of a young woman with no family
who is very independent. A young man
falls in love with her and asks her to marry him. She declines his offer of love and chooses
instead to remain independent. Circumstances
keep them together under a working relationship and over the course of a few
years, we watch as the young woman needs the young man but still refuses to relinquish
her independence.
Despite her foolish ways, the young man watches over her and
patiently waits for her. It is not until
the end of the movie when the young man finally decides to give her what her
stubborn heart clings to and leaves her that the young woman realizes what her
life would be like without him.
Do we not do the same with God? In one breath we say, “No Lord, I can do this
myself.” And in the next breath, “Lord,
help me! I need You!” Then there are
those who never accept the love that God offers. Believing self-independence is far better than
being completely dependent on the One who made them.
The Lord is patient and long suffering with all of us,
believers and non-believers alike, but He will not wait forever. There will come a day when, like the young man
in the movie, God will allow the non-believer the desire to cling to self
instead of Him.
If you are a person who is living independent of God, stop
where you are, turn back, and give your heart to your One True Love.
The Lord is not slow about keeping His promise as some people think. He
is waiting for you. The Lord does not want any person to be punished forever.
He wants all people to be sorry for their sins and turn from them.
2 Peter 3:9
Dina Pugh
