Andy Jones

“May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors;

may he never leave us nor forsake us.” – 1 Kings 8:57

Think about your favorite movie. Odds are at some point in the movie you see the protagonist experience a series of events resulting in some revelation, growth, new way of thinking, or other improvement in their life.

Usually, this montage is set against a song…1 song. In three or four minutes, a life is changed, situations improve, the main character grows up. Picture the training scene in Rocky, the bridge scene in The Lion King during “Hakuna Matata” where we see Mufasa grow up before our very eyes, or the humorous montage of Groundhog Day where Bill Murray’s character learns through repeated attempts how to be in the right place at the right time all day long.

Of course, we know in reality these scenes take place over months or years of the protagonist’s life. Many times, the growth can only be realized when reflecting on how far he or she has come.

Sometimes our lives can be like that. We go through the mundane of every day. Perhaps we wonder where God is as we find ourselves in a period of waiting or suffering. It’s only when we make it through to the other side that we look back and realize God was with us the whole time.

Imagine a new, sleep-deprived parent wondering how they can manage all the things or someone who has lost their job facing rejection after rejection for new opportunities. Maybe you are sitting with a loved one in a hospital room, or you may be that loved one in the hospital bed. You should know that wherever you are in your montage, Emmanuel is with you.

Andy Jones