God's appearance in our lives is a surprising gift—like Gandalf appearing at dawn.
In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Two Towers, there is an intense battle between Saruman's evil army and the noblemen of Rohan called the Battle of Hornburg.
It is a battle that rages through the night. Orcs and wild men besiege the fort over and over again. The defenders of Rohan repel them time and time again. Throughout the night, we see the hero Aragorn looking up, looking to see the dawn.
In a dramatic moment towards the end of the night, the Orcs blow up the gateway and prepare to charge. It looks like the bad guys will win this particular fight.
But hope remains. In a desperate move, King Theodin sounds the great horn of Helm and rides out with his cavalry. From the other direction, a vast forest of Huorns — which are living, moving trees — suddenly joins the attack. The Orcs find themselves surrounded.
But then the best news comes: "There suddenly upon a ridge appeared a rider, clad in white, shining in the rising sun."
This white rider is the appearance of the mighty wizard Gandalf, who in Tolkien's mythology, is a primordial spirit who helped create the world of Middle Earth.
When you consider the doomsday headlines, or even the tragedies of our personal circumstances, sometimes it looks like we are in a desperate battle against enemies that are far too great for us. But as Aragorn said, 'I looked out to see the dawn.'
Dawn is when the night ends and light comes.
This scene, for me, reminds me of John 1:4-5. We read, "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
As Spurgeon preached, "'Immanuel, God with us.' It is hell's terror. Satan trembles at the sound of it… Let him come to you suddenly, and do you but whisper that word, 'God with us,' back he falls, confounded and confused."
As people who face many overwhelming problems, we feel the need for a Savior. Someone whose light and life can overcome darkness and death.
In the Lord of the Rings, Gandalf comes at the end of the battle.
But in the Scriptures, we see that Jesus fights the battle for us, then comes to live within us forever.
Perhaps we 'take it for granted' that God is with us? But his appearance is a surprising gift!
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Reflect on a time in your own life when you found yourself in a seemingly hopeless situation, longing for the light of dawn. How did clinging to the hope of God's presence and intervention sustain you during that challenging season?
How does the assurance of God's constant presence with you give you courage and confidence in the face of spiritual battles?
Reflect on the profound difference between Gandalf's arrival at the end of the battle and Jesus' promise to live within us forever. How does the indwelling presence of Christ empower us to face life's battles with a different perspective?
When you face a difficult situation this week, whisper 'Immanuel—God with us' and remember that He is present with you.
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