I went to the movie The Fury last night. It was hard to watch in a lot of ways, as it showed in graphic detail the cost of war. But it was also an inspiring movie on mission, on brotherhood, and the critical nature of having people in your corner as you face all the struggles this life holds.
There is the amazing scene at the end when this crew of five in one tank is surrounded and facing insurmountable odds. The tank is stationed at a crossroads, and the mission is critical to hold back the Nazis as long as possible. In the scene, two of the characters quote a Bible passage out of Isaiah 6. In it God, is asking the question, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” At which point Isaiah says, “Here I am send me.”
As they spoke those lines in the movie the implications were clear: They likely would not make it out alive. If they were indeed the ones for this moment… for this mission… it could cost them everything.
I have heard that verse quoted a lot through the years. I have used it several times myself. But I wonder how often I really grasped the full implications of that passage. Sometimes in this country it can be pretty easy to say, “Here I am, send me,” until the support stops coming in, or until seemingly insignificant struggles detour our mission, or until discouragement, lack of results, and disappointments in life throw us off course.
This is one of those movies that is hard to shake. It has me asking a lot of questions about where God is at in the midst of struggle, death, and the battles we see playing out around the world today. It reminds me that I absolutely have to fight for relationships so I will have the people I need to in the foxhole with me when times get tough. And it is a great reminder that when I think about applying Isaiah 6:8 in my own life, I’d better take a deep breath and really think it through.
Am I as ready as I think I am? Is this really the moment, the mission, the cause God is calling me to? Am I willing to follow it all the way through?
I am still thinking…
