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I've Seen This Movie Before

When things go poorly, it reveals who we are, at bottom. In Genesis 22:1, the Scripture says, "And God tested Abraham." Some test! But the beauty is, by the time the children of Israel heard it, they knew he'd passed the test, because they were the product.

In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Lt. Saavik objects to the no-win scenario of the Kobayashi Maru test as an unfair test of her command abilities. Admiral Kirk replies, "There's no correct resolution; it's a test of character." Perhaps all of the life of faith is a series of Kobayashi Maru tests, where God brings us well past the limits of our "command abilities" in order to know the genuineness of our love. This is where you find out whether the faith you profess is worth anything.

Christ has already shown us in the shape of His cross that in the Kingdom, you win by losing. He said, "Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Today is as good a day as any to practice loving surrender.
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