Hi all, here we are with Week 40! It definitely feels like a milestone, as we enter the final quarter of the year. This week, Jonny has written a reflection for us on how a powerful line in a TV show, The Rings of Power, reminded him of the Good News. As a fan of the Lord of the Rings, Jonny's words resonated with me! I am sure it will be an encouraging reminder to us all of how God speaks through both art and story.
In Jonny's words...
Growing up, and still to this day, I have been a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien and all the associated films. As a child/teenager, I could often be found rewatching the films on a quiet weekend afternoon. So naturally, I was over the moon when the new series ‘The Rings of Power’ aired on Amazon which serves as a prequel to the current films. While it seems studios these days have a hard time keeping fans happy - I have to say, I’m absolutely loving it! It takes me back to my childhood days becoming immersed in Middle Earth with hobbits, elves, dragons and orcs!
One of the key themes of Tolkien’s original works is the battle between good and evil. For Tolkien it always came down to this: would it be good or evil to prevail? Given that Tolkien was a committed Christian, this has led many to make comparisons between his works and narratives in the bible. Isn’t that ultimately a key theme in the bible, would God prevail over evil?
In the most recent episode of series 2, I was struck by one of the lines that felt like ‘quintessential’ Tolkien as it made clear this theme of good and evil. The line, (without wanting to reveal any spoilers!) comes from one of the elves after defeat looks almost inevitable: ‘Perhaps the elves need only remember that it is not strength that overcomes darkness, but light. Armies may rise, hearts may fail, yet still light endures, and is mightier than strength. For in its presence, all darkness must flee.'
I was completely stunned by this line. Here is a programme on a mainstream streaming service (possibly inadvertently), articulating perfectly the Good News of Jesus. In John 1, it says ‘the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ The prologue in John 1 famously refers to Jesus being the light itself. Ultimately, our own strength cannot overcome the darkness, but it is through the light of Christ that we prevail. I know that I frequently rely on my own strength to get stuff done but I often forget to trust in God when things start to get on top of me.
This unexpected line in ‘The Rings of Power’ was a profound reminder to me that, whatever the darkness of the day might be, it will flee from the light of Jesus. We can often put our trust in things that will never be able to fully sustain us. Money, social media, acceptance, material things, status, power - they will all leave us wanting in the end. Much like the kingdoms and armies, they will never last for us. Instead, it is the light of Christ that endures forever and is the only thing that will help us to overcome the darkness.
Jonny is Rector at St Mary’s Old Amersham and All Saints’ Coleshill. He loves nothing more than spending time with his wife Jenna and 1 year old daughter Naomi. Their most recent trip out was for Naomi’s first birthday to the Zoo!
Thank you all so much for reading this story about God connecting with his people. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Please do subscribe to receive these stories each week and share with others too!
Click here to see the ways you can support Hope Hour.
You can also follow Hope Hour on Instagram.
Until next time,
Comments